506
By Lizzy Chirkpi
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has taken a swipe at President Bola Tinubu over what he described as a double-standard approach to the enforcement of financial autonomy for local government councils in Nigeria.
Makinde faulted the President’s threat to issue an Executive Order compelling state governors to comply with the direct allocation of funds from the Federation Account to local governments, describing the stance as inconsistent and contradictory.
The governor, who spoke during a media parley in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital on Sunday said the proposed Executive Order “misses the point,” stressing that the issue of local government autonomy is riddled with inconsistencies that cannot be resolved through coercion.
Makinde particularly questioned the moral authority of the Federal Government on the matter, citing the creation of Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos State as a clear contradiction to the principle of local government autonomy.
“What are you saying when you have created LCDAs? Are you not saying that the local government should be under the state? So how come now suddenly…?” Makinde queried.
He added that governance should not be driven by convenience or changing positions based on one’s level of authority.
“It should not be a situation of if you are at the sub-national level, you take one position and while you are at the federal level, you take another position. I don’t think that should be it,” he said.
While acknowledging the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy, the Oyo governor argued that the matter goes beyond legal pronouncements and requires political engagement and consensus-building.
“So, I know there is a Supreme Court judgment on this matter, but some of these things may not be resolved strictly through the judicial process. Some, you have to negotiate a political solution and things like that.
“I think this will fall into that category where people should honestly come to the table and say we have issues with this area or that area. We can’t keep shifting,” he stated.
President Tinubu had, on December 19, warned that he could issue an Executive Order to enforce direct allocation of funds to local governments if state governors failed to comply with a Supreme Court ruling affirming financial autonomy for the third tier of government.
The President issued the warning at the 15th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja. He had earlier made a similar remark at the party’s 14th National Caucus meeting, insisting that local government autonomy cannot exist without adequate funding.
Tinubu warned that continued resistance by state governments could force the Federal Government to release allocations directly to local councils through the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
“If you wait for my Executive Order, because I have the knife, I have the yam, I will cut it. I’m just being very respectful and understanding with my governors. Otherwise, if you don’t start to implement it, FAAC after FAAC you will see.
“The ultimate goal is our Supreme Court. We have to comply. We have to respect the judgment,” Tinubu had said.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to enforcing local government financial autonomy, the President warned that persistent violations of the Supreme Court ruling could trigger federal intervention.
The Supreme Court, in a landmark judgment delivered on July 11, 2024, upheld a suit filed by the Federal Government seeking to guarantee financial independence for local governments.
In a unanimous verdict, a seven-member panel of justices ruled that it was unconstitutional for state governments to retain or manage funds meant for local councils.
The apex court consequently ordered that allocations from the Federation Account be paid directly to local governments, in line with Section 162 (5–8) of the 1999 Constitution.
Despite the ruling, several state governments have continued to operate joint accounts, a practice the Supreme Court expressly declared unlawful.