Local government workers in some of the states yet to conduct council elections by yesterday are now living in fear of the possible suspension of allocation to their councils from the federation account.
The Supreme Court had in a recent ruling granted the local government financial autonomy and specifically ordered that the councils’ share of allocation from the federation account be paid directly into their accounts, reports The Nation.
The apex court also declared in the July 11,2024 landmark ruling that unelected councils will not be allowed to spend such allocations.
It declared the non-remittance of funds by the 36 states unconstitutional.
Consequent upon the court’s pronouncement, state governments, many of which were used to treating LG administration, especially council elections and funds with levity, pleaded with the federal government for a moratorium to hold elections.
With the month coming to an end in another three weeks, all but eight of the 36 states have done so.
Three others – Kaduna, Kano and Cross River – have scheduled theirs for this weekend and the next.
Ogun and Abia will follow next month, Ondo will have its own in January 2025,Osun and Katsina in February while Zamfara and Nasarawa will come later.
However, LG workers in the states that are yet to meet the deadline for the conduct of elections are uncomfortable with the situation.
They fear that their salary may not be forthcoming should the federal government decide to withhold allocation to the defaulting states.
It was gathered yesterday that a federal government technical sub-committee is scheduled to meet later this week to chart the next steps for implementing the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government financial autonomy.
A source in the presidency confirmed that an Inter-Ministerial Committee, established by the president, has been tasked with enforcing the court’s decision.
“They have met about three times and will meet again soon,” a source familiar with the issue said.
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) is expected to provide clarification on the next course of action during the meeting.
The source said the SC ruling apparently shocked many of the state governors who had mounted a strong defense in court.
“The governors were not expecting the judgment, so they had to go back to the drawing board,” the source said.
The committee is yet to finalise its recommendations but once it does so,its proposals will be reviewed by key stakeholders, including the Minister of Finance, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), and representatives of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON).
The final decision will then be presented to the president for approval.
The source said while discussions are still ongoing, the implementation plan for local government autonomy is still being developed.
We’re unsure of our fate,says Osun LG worker
A local government worker in Osun State who does not want her name in print said : “we don’t know our fate for this month now that the federal government said it may not release our allocation. There are no elected LG officials till now.”
Another LG staff who asked also not to be named implored the federal authorities to consider the hardship that stoppage of allocation to defaulting local government would cause for the innocent workers.
Amidst the panic among council workers in the state, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has urged the federal government not to stop revenue allocation coming to LGAs in Osun State as the process to elect council officials is on.
“We are pleading with the FG of Nigeria that there is no need to withhold the allocation of all the LGs in Osun State because the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) started the process of conducting the LG election back in January before the idea of going to the Supreme Court even arose,” IPAC Chairman in the state, Victor Akande said.
“The law here stipulates that election notice is to be given 360 days before the conduct of election and that is in tandem with the Electoral Act of 2022.
“So far we are doing things according to the law and we have not erred in any area of the law concerning the conduct of LG election.”
The conduct of the various local government elections has come under attack from different quarters.
Critics say elections where the ruling party in each state wins all the seats for chairmen and councilors cannot be said to be free or fair.
Some opposition parties even pulled out of the LG elections citing manipulation by the ruling party.
Unknown assailants stone APC councillorship candidate to death
An All Progressives Congress (APC) councillorship candidate in next month’s LG election in Ogun State was yesterday assassinated in Abeokuta.
Adeleke Adeyinka, who got the party’s ticket for Ward 15, Abeokuta South, was murdered at Ole Ilewo area of the state capital.
It was learnt that the yet to be identified assassins who rode in a tinted car had trailed the victim to the area, shot him and rained stones on his body.
The Ogun State Youth Leaders’ Forum condemn the killing
The Forum in a statement said the development was disturbing and called for immediate attention from law enforcement agencies.
It described the deceased as a promising young leader and a dedicated member of the APC, having served as youth leader of Ward 15 in Abeokuta South and worked with others during the last election.
ABSIEC: Nov. 2 election sacrosanct
The Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) says the November 2,2024 date picked for the LG election in the state is sacrosanct.
It was reacting to allegations of partiality leveled at it by opposition parties.
The parties said the notice for the election was too short for them to make any serious preparation.
