Supreme Court ruling on LG autonomy will catalyse grassroots development, says Sen. Achonu

Imo LP governorship candidate in the 2023 General Elections, Sen. Athan Achonu, has said that the Supreme Court ruling which granted financial autonomy to local governments will catalyse grassroots development.

Achonu said this in a release signed by his media adviser, Chibuikem Diala, and made available to newsmen in Owerri, on Thursday.

He commended President Bola Tinubu and the Supreme Court for aiding the “triumph of democracy and empowering local communities, which have long been stifled by the undue control of state governments over funds meant for local councils “.

He added that the ruling reaffirms the fundamental principles of federalism and ensures that local governments are empowered to deliver essential services directly to the people.

“ As someone who has campaigned tirelessly for over two decades for full local government autonomy, I, Senator Athan Achonu, commend this ruling as a pivotal moment in our nation’s history.

“ May I use this opportunity to commend Mr President, His Excellency, Senator Bola Tinubu and the Attorney General of the Federation for taking this patriotic step towards dis-entangling the Local Governments from the strange clutches of the state governors.

“ I also commend the National Assembly for the constitutional ammendment for INEC to conduct local government elections “, he said.

He however noted the need for the scrapping of state electoral commissions for the realization of true local government autonomy and for ensuring that local elections are conducted in a fair and transparent manner.

He called on the organised labour, student groups, and youth organisations to engage and possibly pressure all the state Houses of Assembly until they ratify the amendment.

He also urged all stakeholders, including the federal and state governments, to embrace the decision and work collaboratively towards its implementation for improved governance and development.

“ As we move forward, let us remain steadfast in our dedication to strengthening our democratic institutions and ensuring that the voice of every Nigerian is heard and respected.

“ The journey towards full local government autonomy has been long and challenging, but this ruling brings us closer to realizing the vision of a truly decentralized and responsive government “, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in May, the federal government filed a suit at the Supreme Court against the governors of the 36 states of Nigeria over LG financial autonomy.

The suit, marked SC/CV/343/2024, sought full autonomy for the country’s 774 local governments, a move that was met with widespread support from advocates of grassroots governance.

In its judgment delivered on Thursday, a seven-member panel of justices held that state governments have continuously abused their powers by retaining and misappropriating funds intended for LGAs.