The legal tussle over the status of the third tier of government has kicked off.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court ordered the 36 state governors to file their respective defence to a suit filed by the federal government seeking full autonomy for the country’s 774 local government areas.
The court also ordered the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice to file his reply within two days of receiving the governors’ defence.
Justice Garba Lawal issued the order yesterday when he ruled on an application for abridgment of time argued by the AGF, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
Justice Lawal, who led a seven-man panel of the apex court, said the court’s decision was predicated on the national urgency of the suit and the non-objection from the attorneys-general of the states of the federation.
The Supreme Court held that the filing of all processes and exchanging of same must be completed within the time, and subsequently fixed June 13 for hearing in the suit.
Justice Lawal ordered that the eight states not at yesterday’s proceeding be served with fresh hearing notice.
The states whose attorneys-general were absent despite being served with the hearing notice are Borno, Kano, Kogi, Niger, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, and Sokoto.
Revamp 774 LGAs for Effective Service Delivery, Tinubu Tells Governors
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appealed to state governments to prioritise the needs of local communities by ensuring accountability and effectiveness in the administration of local governments.
The President made this call during a meeting with the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“We are running a constitutional democracy. I will appeal to you to summon the governors. I am doing my very best to enhance the revenue base of the country. They must equally be sympathetic, and they must urgently consider the needs of the local people.
“People reside in the local communities. That is where they work, farm, and live. If the local governments are not effective in delivering services, as leaders, we must not hang on to the numbers. We have 774 local government areas, but are they truly effective? Do they solve problems for Nigerians? Do they coordinate development programming with the state and federal governments?
“Who is being held accountable for the performance of the 774 local governments? Maybe we should look at recalibrating. What was good four years ago may not be good today. When we want the votes, we go to the locals; when we get the votes, we move to and focus on Abuja,” the President said in a statement by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale.
Highlighting the significance of education in nation building, the president described the situation of out-of-school children in parts of Nigeria as unacceptable.
“The question of out-of-school children is unacceptable. Education is a tool against poverty, and that is what brought many of us here. We must use our education to serve the people and improve their conditions. We must develop the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, which is the education system. We will collaborate with you on this intensively.
“We are still building Nigeria, and I am glad that you have emphasized the need for development. The infrastructure decay is unacceptable, and the level of poverty in the north is unacceptable. We must eliminate the source of these trends,” President Tinubu stated.
On security, President Tinubu commended the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his efforts, saying: “Everybody wants to be secure, and we need to invest more in technology. We will do it, I promise you. We will put our hearts and souls into ensuring that Nigeria is secure and its citizens are protected.
“The AKK project, the dredging of the River Niger, and improving port access and infrastructure nationwide, in order to shorten travel time, will make us more prosperous as a nation. We have to fight insecurity so that people can make a decent living anywhere they live.”
The President also addressed economic development and livestock management, stating: “Animal husbandry has been a huge problem for Nigeria. Dairy farms can grow our economy significantly.
“Talk to the governors and tell them to make more land available. Talk to herders to collaborate with the states. The lands are with the states. We are ready to put funds in place to help the herders. We can do it, and we will be able to do it. If the Brazilians and the Dutch are doing it, we can also do it,” the president stated.
President Tinubu also used the occasion to appeal for national unity and continued support for his government as it solves decades-long challenges confronting the populace.
“As long as we are together, and we have to be together, there is strength in our diversity. Our strength and opportunity are built into our population. I thank the cabinet members for their efforts, but I will relieve any of them of their duties anytime I feel that they are failing Nigerians,” the President affirmed.
The President directed the establishment of a committee to follow up on the issues raised at the meeting and assigned the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, to lead the follow-up efforts.
The leader of the delegation and chairman, Board of Trustees of ACF, Barrister Bashir Dalhatu, congratulated President Tinubu on his first year in office and expressed the Forum’s appreciation for his achievements and service to the country.
CSOs Express Hope Over LG Autonomy
Several civil society organisations (CSOs) working towards local government autonomy have expressed optimism that this time around, the third tier of government will finally be free from the control of state governors.
Speaking on behalf of the CSOs, John E. Mutu, deputy national team leader of PERL-ECP, a governance programme funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), stated that the current legal proceedings would grant local governments much-needed autonomy.
“We see a glimmer of hope in this. For once, the President has taken the issue seriously. We are pleased with the court’s actions. Local government autonomy is long overdue.
“Regardless of the outcome of the court case, it is going to be a win-win situation for local governments because, after the court case, we will ensure that we follow up with the constitutional amendment so that everything works in favour of local government autonomy,” Mutu said.
