Hon. Barr. Chijioke Edeoga, the Labour Party governorship candidate in the 2023 Enugu State election, has lauded the Supreme Court’s decision granting full autonomy to local government areas.
The apex court’s ruling on Thursday ends the governors’ control over local government finances, a development that has been widely celebrated across the nation.
In a statement personally signed by Edeoga, he described the landmark judgment as a significant step towards ending the long-standing constitutional violations by state governors.
“During my campaign, I pledged that local government funds would be sacrosanct,” Edeoga recalled.
He urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to ensure the full implementation of the judgment.
“The Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on Thursday, July 11, 2024, delivered a landmark judgment on the control of allocations due to local councils in Nigeria, declaring it unconstitutional for state governors to hold onto funds meant for local governments,” Edeoga said.
He added that the judgment requires local governments to manage their own funds and only democratically elected local government councils should be allowed to do so.
Edeoga pointed out that governors have long used local government funds as their personal reserves, depriving councils of the resources needed for grassroots development.
“This abuse has led to situations where local councils are forced to rely on the whims of governors, who favor some while sidelining others,” he said.
He emphasized the need for the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies to monitor the implementation of the judgment and hold local government chairmen accountable for the proper utilization of funds.
Edeoga also commended President Bola Tinubu and Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, for their determination in pursuing the case.
“This judgment is a public interest matter and has reignited hope for grassroots development among progressive-minded Nigerians,” he said.
He called for the establishment of special units by the EFCC and NFIU to ensure compliance with the ruling and urged the Attorney General to issue guidelines for immediate adherence.
“The National Assembly should also expedite work on constitutional amendments to remove the conduct of local government elections from the control of state-created electoral bodies,” Edeoga concluded.
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