Governor Makinde Reacts to Supreme Court Ruling on LG Autonomy: "It Has Created Confusion"
- Oyo state governor Seyi Makinde has stated that the Supreme Court's ruling on local government autonomy has caused widespread confusion
- The Supreme Court ruled that monthly allocations from the federation account must be paid directly into local government coffers
- During an emergency consultative stakeholders meeting, Governor Makinde emphasized that Nigeria's main issue is not the distribution of funds but increasing productivity
Oyo state governor Seyi Makinde has stated that the Supreme Court's ruling on local government autonomy caused widespread confusion.
During an emergency consultative stakeholders meeting held on Monday, July 15, Governor Makinde announced the formation of technical and legal committees to review the judgement.
Source: Twitter
Recall that the Supreme Court ruled that the monthly allocations from the federation account must be paid directly into local government coffers without state government interference.
Governor Makinde previously criticised this decision, calling it a distracting tactic by the federal government, Daily Trust reported.
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At an emergency consultative stakeholders meeting, attendees included members of the Oyo State chapter of the Association of Local Government Administration (ALGON), the state's Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Abiodun Aikomo, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Otunba Ademola Ojo, and the Chairman of the House of Assembly Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters. Representatives from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), and Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) were also present.
Governor Makinde, addressing the meeting held in the executive chamber of the Governor’s Office, stressed that Nigeria's primary issue is not the distribution of funds but rather increasing productivity and fostering economic prosperity, TheCable reported.
He said:
"The Supreme Court essentially informed us that governors lack the authority to dissolve councils. But why did I dissolve them? It was due to elections being conducted in the LCDAs.
"Now, the same Supreme Court has clarified that there are only 774 LGAs in Nigeria. This has created confusion, indicating instability in the system, and we must address and reduce this confusion as much as possible."
Makinde advised that LG chairmen should outline their major challenges in order for the state to provide solutions.
He said:
"We will be identifying the key challenges faced by our local government areas to create our own solutions. Regarding LG elections in Oyo State, we do not have caretaker committees at the local level.
"The elections were scheduled meticulously without losing a single day. We have a responsible government in Oyo State and do not need the federal government to dictate our actions. We understand what is best for our people."
LG autonomy: Osun to conduct council elections in 2025
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) has stated that it is not under pressure to conduct local government elections despite the Supreme Court's recent verdict granting local government financial autonomy.
Abioye emphasised that the notice of election is a critical aspect of the electoral process, and any defects could invalidate the election.
Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng
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Source: Legit.ng
