Tag: LG Funds

S’Court strikes out Osun state’s suit on withheld LG funds

Aminu Imam
S'Court strikes out

The Supreme Court has struck out the suit filed by the Osun government challenging the federal government’s withholding of statutory allocations meant for its 30 local government councils since March 2025. In a split decision of six to one, the apex court held that the Attorney-General of Osun has no legal right to institute the suit on behalf of the councils, noting that the elected chairmen are the juristic persons empowered to sue unless they expressly delegate such authority. The court, however, held that the Federal Government has no constitutional…

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One year after S’Court ruling, Govs.. still control ₦4.5tr LG funds – Report

Aminu Imam
LG funds Report2

…FG insists Tinubu committed to autonomy Exactly one year after the Supreme Court ordered direct funding for Nigeria’s 774 local governments, state governors still maintain control over their allocations, defying the landmark ruling and frustrating efforts to strengthen grassroots governance. A recent report revealed that between July 2024 and June 2025, local councils received about ₦4.5 trillion from the Federation Account, yet the funds continued to pass through state governments rather than going directly to local government accounts as the Supreme Court directed. The apex court had declared the use…

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‘States can’t spend LG funds’ – FG to Supreme Court

Aminu Imam
FG to Supreme Court

…Dismiss Osun’s suit The Federal Government has urged the Supreme Court to dismiss a suit filed by the Osun State Government over the release of local government (LG) allocations, insisting that no State has the right to control or spend funds meant for LGs. In its response to the case (Suit No: SC/CV/379/2025), the FG argued that Osun’s request to access LG funds for health and education violates the Supreme Court’s July 2024 ruling, which mandates direct payment of LG allocations from the Federation Account to elected councils. In an…

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Rivers: Timi Frank accuses Wike of plot to block LGs monthly fund allocation

Aminu Imam
Timi Frank accuses Wike

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has raised the alarm over an alleged plot by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, to secure a court injunction to block releases from the Federation Account to the 22 Local Government Councils in Rivers state.  Frank, who made this disclosure yesterday in a statement issued in Abuja, said Wike and his co-travellers that are opposed to the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, resorted to the plot following their failure to stop local government elections…

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“Return LG funds or face legal action”, SERAP tells 36 Govs., Wike

Aminu Imam
SERAP on LG funds

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP), has called on the 36 State governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to immediately account for and return the local government funds which they have collected over the years. SERAPs appeal came in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling yesterday that declared the practice of state governors and the FCT Minister withholding and utilising funds intended for local governments unconstitutional. In an issued statement yesterday, signed by SERAP’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said, We…

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Stop statutory allocations of LGAs under unelected officials – Senate urges FG

Aminu Imam

The Senate has passed a resolution urging the Federal Government to withhold statutory allocations of local government councils being governed by unelected officials. The upper Chamber passed the resolution yesterday, after the lawmakers adopted a motion on Urgent need to halt the erosion of democracy; the dissolution of elected councils in Benue, at plenary yesterday, which was sponsored by Senator Abba Moro. Presenting the Motion, Moro said that democratically-elected local government councils had been dissolved by the Benue State Government, which replaced them with caretaker committees. He said, however, constituting…

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“Govs. have hijacked LG revenue allocations from the Federation account” -Afe Babalola

Aminu Imam

Founder of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti, (ABUAD), Afe Babalola, (SAN), has tasked President Bola Tinubu to ensure that local government areas in the country receive their allocations directly from the Federation Account, to revive agriculture and boost the economy. He lamented that the local councils have remained ineffective over the years in bringing development to the people, due to the activities of the governors who allegedly hijacked their allocations. Babalola spoke on Thursday, while declaring open the eighth edition of the Afe Babalola Agricultural Expo, ABAEX, an annual gathering of…

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LG Funds: Buhari, Govs. row deepens, as Afenifere, CNG, Ohanaeze, PANDEF wade in

Aminu Imam

…Demands Constitutional amendment  Apparently miffed by President Muhammadu Buharis allegation that State governors steal funds meant for Local Government Areas, LGAs, regional groups have urged the President to back the claim with evidence and name state governors pilfering the funds. The groups also demanded a Constitution amendment on local government autonomy, saying gaps in the constitution made it possible for governors to have influence over LGAs. In separate chats with newsmen, they said the President shouldnt stop at raising the alarm but also ensure that necessary actions are initiated against…

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‘How governors steal Federation Account allocations meant for LGAs’ – Buhari

Aminu Imam

President Muhammadu Buhari has accused some Chief Executives of encouraging corruption in the local government system, thereby inhibiting development at the grassroots. The President made his accusation yesterday in Abuja, at a parley with members of the Senior Executive Course (SEC) No. 44 (2022) of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru, Plateau State. The President narrated his personal experience on stemming the tide of corruption in the local government system after the presentation of the report of NIPSS Course SEC 44, which had as its theme:…

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