LG Autonomy: Mass Demonstration, Legal Battles Loom Over Non-Implementation of Supreme Court Judgement

Laleye Dipo in Minna

One year after the Supreme Court judgement on the autonomy of local governments and refusal of some state governors to implement the decision, mass demonstrations and legal battles loomed to enforce the implementation of the judgement.

The Supreme Court had ruled that funds due to local governments from the federation account should be disbursed directly to the LGs contrary to the present situation in most states.

However, the Human Rights and Enforcement Advocates led by a legal practitioner, Mr. Alfa Mohammed, has begun mobilising Nigerians to protest against the non-implementation of the judgement.

The group also said it will seek judicial decisions for the immediate enforcement of the Supreme Court judgement.

Mohammed, who disclosed this while addressing journalists in Minna, Niger State,  said the situation deserves a fast solution which would be difficult to find if the state governments are allowed to continue to interfere with the finances and administration of the third tier of governance.”

“As concerned group of citizens, we are presently in the process of initiating legal proceedings to seek interpretation of relevant sections of the Electoral Act 2022 among other reliefs, we plan to lead a grassroot protest in solidarity with the masses at the grassroots if the situation does not change before August 2025,” Mohammed declared.

The group also asked Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, to put on hold the plan to conduct local government election in the state on November 21, as the incumbent council Chairmen are yet to spend four years in office in line with the Supreme Court judgement and provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Mohammed also charged the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Senator Hope Uzodinma, “to prove that APC governors are aligned with President Tinubu’s poverty eradication efforts by effecting total autonomy to local councils not later than a day before the next federal allocation is distributed.