Ben Ogbemudia, Abuja
The recent legal action by the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) to ensure the full implementation of last year’s Supreme Court judgment on the full financial autonomy of the 774 local government councils across the country has received a huge boost from the Association of Ex-Local Government Chairmen of Nigeria (ASELGON), which hailed ALGON and described the step as a bold and courageous one.
It would be recalled that the Supreme Court on 11th July, 2024 gave a judgment mandating the direct payment of local government allocations from the Federation Account to the respective local governments or through states, depending on what works best. The apex court in the land insisted that the states’ retention of local government funds was unconstitutional while giving the order.
Eight months after the landmark judgment that reverberated across the length and breadth of the country, the expected dividends of the judgment remain a mirage as the local governments are still yet to be truly autonomous and this informed the filing of the Suit No FHC/ABJ/05/353/2025 by ALGON.
Reacting to the Suit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, ASELGON, in a statement by its National President, Hon. Albert Asipa noted that the legal step taken by ALGON was timely, asking what actually had prevented the judgment from being implemented since last year.
Recalling the overwhelming support the Supreme Court judgment received when delivered last year in view of its envisaged impacts on the growth, progress and development of the local governments across the country, ASELGON viewed its non-implementation as a big set- back.
While insisting that the yet to be implemented Supreme Court judgment remains the only sure path of taking democratic dividends to the grassroots and for which the position and efforts of ALGON are being commended, Hon. Asipa maintained that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR must see to it that the judgment as delivered becomes operational.
“As former Chief Executives of our various local governments, we have seen it all and this informed our total support for the judgment when it was delivered last year. We remain unshaken in our firm belief that the salvation and liberation of the third tier of government lies in full autonomy as espoused by the unambiguous Supreme Court judgment.
“We wholeheartedly align with the position of ALGON which to us is premised on patriotism and the desire for the betterment of the country. No doubt, President Tinubu is tirelessly working for the overall welfare and improved general conditions of living of the mass of the people of this country, but, the impacts will remain peripheral until the local governments are truly and genuinely autonomous”, Hon. Asipa added.
The new suit, according to the Secretary- General of ALGON, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, “is seeking the court to issue an order ensuring local government representation in FAAC or any other body responsible for allocating funds”, just as it equally “underscores ALGON’s commitment to securing full financial autonomy for local governments towards enhancing grassroots development and governance across Nigeria”.
