SDP Accuses Ondo Govt of Withholding Local Government Allocations

The Ondo State chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has accused the state government of allegedly diverting federal allocations intended for local government councils, describing the practice as unconstitutional and detrimental to grassroots development.

In a statement issued on Saturday in Akure, SDP State Chairman, Gbenga Akinbuli, strongly condemned the alleged withholding of funds, asserting that it undermines local government autonomy and violates the principles of fiscal federalism.

“We have credible information that federal allocations meant for local governments are being collected by the state government,” Akinbuli said. “This revelation raises serious concerns about local autonomy and the principles of democracy.”

According to him, the diversion of funds has significantly affected the delivery of vital public services such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, and security at the local level. He argued that such actions not only contravene the constitutional guarantee of financial independence for local councils but also erode public confidence in governance.

“The people deserve better governance. It is time for the state government to uphold the constitution and respect the rights of local authorities to govern in the interest of their communities,” Akinbuli added.

The party called on the Ondo State government to immediately stop the alleged interference and allow local governments access to their statutory allocations without obstruction.

Akinbuli further appealed to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), to intervene. He emphasized that ongoing disregard for local government autonomy by some state governments—including Ondo—poses a serious threat to constitutional order and the Federal Government’s decentralization efforts.