Tag: LG Autonomy

Autonomy: Senate moves to establish Local Government Electoral Commission

Aminu Imam
Senate moves

In a bold move to wrest the control of local government areas from state governors, the Senate has introduced a Bill to establish Local Government Independent Electoral Commission. The Bill, titled: “Local Government Independent Electoral Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2024”, passed first reading yesterday in Abuja, and was sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Sen. Sani Musa (APC, Niger-East). It came on the heels of the recent judgment of the Supreme Court granting full financial autonomy to the 774 local government councils in the country. The apex court abolished…

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LG Autonomy: “S/Court has relieved us of a burden” – Govs. Forum Chairman

Aminu Imam
Govs. Forum on LG Autonomy2

Governors from the 36 States of the Federation, under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors Forum, (NGF), have scheduled a crucial meeting next week to review the judgment of the Supreme Court that granted autonomy to local government councils in the country. Addressing State House Correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), and Governor of Kwara, AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman, said governor who have been using their resources to bail out local governments have been relieve of a burden. The NGF Chairman also…

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LGA autonomy: IPAC wants State Electoral Commissions scrapped

Aminu Imam
IPAC on SIECs

The Inter-Party Advisory Council, (IPAC), has called for immediate scrapping of the State Independent Electoral Commissions, (SIECs). Making the advocacy during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, IPAC’s national Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, said the SIECs have proven to be incompetent and incapable of conducting free, fair, credible,transparent, inclusive and peaceful elections. According to him, the States’ electoral bodies have become mere appendages of various government houses. “SIECs do not have voter registers, BVAS, IReV portals, ballot boxes, etc, essential in conducting credible polls. INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu rightly…

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S/Court ruling on LG autonomy: A call to action

Aminu Imam
IMG 20240712 WA0085

This is to proudly celebrate the recent landmark ruling by the Supreme Court of Nigeria reaffirming the autonomy of the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Nigeria. The Supreme Court declared it illegal and unconstitutional for state governors to continue receiving and seizing funds allocated to LGAs within their jurisdictions. This “dubious practice,” which has persisted for over two decades, was recognized as a clear violation of Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution, (as amended). In his lead judgment, Justice Emmanuel Agim asserted that no House of Assembly in any…

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LG Financial Autonomy: Ramalan, Chairman, Kaduna Restoration Group hail S/Court verdict

Aminu Imam
Ramalan

…Commends President Tinubu The Renewed Kaduna Restoration Group, (RKRG), has hailed the Supreme Court judgment on local government financial autonomy against the 36 State governors in favour of the Federal Government. Chairman of the Renewed Restoration Group, (RKRG) Alhaji (Dr) Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, hailed the Supreme Court judgment on local government financial autonomy against the 36 State governors in favour of the Federal Government. This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday. Recall that the Supreme Court yesterday declared that it is unconstitutional for State governors to hold…

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LG autonomy: Supreme Court to deliver landmark judgment today

Aminu Imam
S'Court on LG autonomy

The Supreme Court will today, Thursday, deliver judgment in the suit filed by the Federal Government against the 36 State governors seeking full autonomy for the 774 local government councils in the country. The apex court has notified all parties in the suit through their respective lawyers. Recall that the Supreme Court had on June 13, reserved judgment on the suit against State governments. At the last proceedings on, a seven-man panel, led by Justice Garba Lawal, declared the matter ready for judgment, after hearing arguments from the governors of…

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“LG autonomy will solve insecurity”- Army Chief, Lagbaja

Aminu Imam
Lagbaja on LG autonomy

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Taoreed Lagbaja, has said that granting full autonomy to local government areas will undoubtedly solve the problem of insecurity in the country. General Lagbaja disclosed this yesterday in Jos, Plateau State, during the Nigerian Army celebration, emphasising that unless local communities experienced development, it would be difficult to end insecurity in Nigeria. He said, “Why are the elites resistant to LG autonomy which people are clamouring for? The surest way to bring development to the grassroots level is to ensure LG autonomy. It’s not…

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Supreme Court reserves judgement in FG’s suit seeking full LGA autonomy

Aminu Imam
Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has reserved judgment in the suit filed for the Federal Government by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) against States in relation to the dispute over the autonomy of Nigeria’s 774 local government councils. All 36 States of the federation are the defendants in the suit, marked SC/CV/343/2024. The Federal Government is also asking for an order preventing the governors from arbitrarily dissolving democratically elected councils, in an originating summons dated and filed 20 May, 2024. At the court session yesterday, all the states, represented by their…

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Renewed Kaduna Restoration Group urges Tinubu to strengthen Local Government autonomy?

Aminu Imam
RKRG meeting

The Renewed Kaduna Restoration Group (RKRG), a non-partisan association advocating for democracy and good governance, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to leverage his constitutional powers to protect the autonomy of local government councils from the overreach of state governors. In an open letter, the group emphasized that the Presidency can remedy these issues without needing constitutional amendments or Supreme Court interventions. In an issued open letter yesterday, signed by Chairman of RKRG, Alhaji (Dr.) Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan and  the group’s Secretary, Yahaya Ibrahim Shinko, which was copied to…

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LG Autonomy:  “PresidentTinubu’s litigation against Govs. appropriate” - Chairman RKRG, Ramalan

Aminu Imam
Ramalan

Chairman, Renewed Kaduna Group (RKRG) and Executive Chairman, Liberty TV & Radio FM broadcast stations, Alhaji (Dr.) Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, has commended President Bola Tinubu for dragging State Governors to the Supreme Court over local government councils autonomy, saying it was the appropriate steps to take and best one year anniversary gift to Nigerians. According to the RKRG Chairman, “State governors’ selfish resistance to the autonomy of local councils undermines the functionality of the 774 the third-tier of government”. President Tinubu had through the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef…

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