LG Autonomy: Falana Interprets Supreme Court Judgement, Sends Message to Nigerian Governors

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights activist, Femi Falana, has reacted to the Supreme Court’s judgement, instructing state governments to refrain from controlling the federal allocations of local governments.

Falana, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme, declared support for the apex court judgement.

Recall that on Thursday night, Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra state said the 36 state governors will meet to review the court’s final judgement on LG autonomy.

Falana tasks state governors

But on Friday, July 12, Falana argued that the judgement was not meant to strip the state governments of its influence on the LGAs, but rather, would promote accountability at the grassroots level.

He said:

“A lot depends on the Nigerian people because right now, it is difficult to talk about the autonomy of the local government. The state’s electoral commissions are manned by appointees of the state governors.

“And what they have done over the years is to manipulate the local government elections in a way, that only the candidates of the ruling parties would be declared the winners.

“Now, local governments would be expected to fix some schools, tar some roads, and even pay some workers. So, it is not that state governments will no longer participate in the affairs of the local governments…the state governments should create state economic councils and allow the local government to participate in them, just like they are part of the federal economic council.

“The judgment has to be studied by the governors so that everybody will appreciate that what the Supreme Court has done is to promote public accountability at the grassroots levels.”