Atiku Applauds Supreme Court Ruling on Local Government Autonomy

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed his support for the Supreme Court’s judgment affirming fiscal autonomy for local government councils across Nigeria. In a statement released on Thursday via X, Atiku described the ruling as “a win for the people of Nigeria” and a significant step in the right direction.

The Supreme Court’s decision reverses the previous practice of consolidating local council revenues into state government accounts. Atiku criticized this earlier arrangement, stating that it was the result of political compromises made hastily.

Expressing his approval of the ruling, Atiku said, “I align with the decision of the Supreme Court that the structure of the Nigerian government is portioned into three layers, and of these, the local governments should be centers of development.”

The former Vice President further advocated for expanding fiscal autonomy beyond just Federation Account allocations. “I also share the belief that fiscal autonomy to the local governments should not be limited to revenues from the Federation Accounts, but indeed, should apply to Internally Generated Revenue from the respective local government authorities,” he stated.

Atiku highlighted concerns about state governments, particularly in urban areas, interfering with local councils’ revenue generation. He noted, “Many of our states, especially those in the ultra-urban areas with high-density economic activities, have become notorious in muscling local councils from generating revenue on items that border on motor parks, outdoor advertising, rents, and many more.”

Praising the Supreme Court’s role, Atiku said, “The verdict of the court is in tandem with the core functions of the Supreme Court as an arbitration court between and among governments.”

On Thursday, the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional for state governors to hold funds allocated for local government administrations. The seven-man panel, in a judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, stated that the 774 local government councils in the country should manage their funds independently.

The apex court emphasized that the power of the government is divided into three arms: federal, state, and local government. Furthermore, the court declared that a state government has no power to appoint a caretaker committee and that a local government council is only legitimate when it has a democratically elected government.