Osun ALGON, CDHR applaud S’Court ruling on autonomy for LGAs

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

The Supreme Court’s recent judgment affirming financial autonomy for Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) has sparked widespread reactions.

Delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the ruling mandates that state governors must no longer interfere with the funds allocated to local councils, meaning, local government allocations from the Federation Account will be paid directly to the councils.

Reacting to the development, Chairman of the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR), Osun State chapter, Emmanuel Olowu, has labeled the judgment as “fantastic.”

He remarked, “If citizens were politically conscious, we should all be celebrating this judgment in the streets. Grassroots development is crucial, but state governments have often hijacked local government functions, limiting their roles to merely paying salaries without undertaking significant projects.”

In the same vein, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Osun State chapter, welcomed the ruling. ALGON Chairman, Sarafa Awotunde,mthrough his Chief Press Secretary, Ojuolape Odetola, expressed happiness with the judgment.

He noted that Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke supports initiatives that promote local government development and is committed to implementing the Supreme Court’s directive in the state.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State similarly hailed the judgment. State APC Chairman, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, in a statement by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Chief Kola Olabisi, described the ruling as overdue and a catalyst for rural development.

Lawal stated, “The Supreme Court judgment will eliminate excuses for non-performance by local government chairmen, as they will now have direct access to their funds.”

Lawal further noted that the judgment renders the appointed caretaker chairmen by Governor Adeleke illegal, emphasizing that the Supreme Court recognizes the elected council chairmen from former Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s administration, now Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.

This landmark ruling has been lauded for promoting grassroots development and ensuring local governments have the financial independence needed to address community needs effectively.