By Newsshelve Correspondent.
Former Leader of Agege Local Government Legislative Arm, Hon Muyideen Akolawole Anigbajumo, has welcome the judgement of the Supreme Court emphasising the Autonomy of Local Governments.
Anigbajumo, in a chat with Hotnewsnaija Online, noted that Local Governments in the country can now appropriate their funds without interference from State Governors.
He described the judgement as victory for democracy and dismantling of the chain that locked Local Governments across 36 States from having direct access to their funds.
The former Agege Councillor stated that now is time for State Houses of Assembly (including Lagos State House of Assembly) to allow Local Government Chairmen and their Councillors breath.
In his words, ” As a former Councillor and Leader of Legislative Arm of Agege Local Government, it is a big victory for Democracy and rule of law. With this judgement, many Local Government who had been chained by Governors should be set free.
” During my administration as a Councillor and Legislative Leader, I was humiliated by the Local Government Chairman for upholding the rule of law. I believe this judgement shouldn’t be a freedom only to Local Government Chairmen but the Councillors.
” Likewise, the Council Chairmen should allow the elected Councillors to do their job of making laws for the Council Areas. No Chairman should intimidate or harassed the Councillors.”
Recall that Supreme Court (on Thursday) declared it unconstitutional for state governors to hold funds allocated for local government administrations.
The seven-man panel, in the judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, declared that the 774 local government councils in the country should manage their funds independently.
The apex court held that the power of the government is portioned into three arms of government, the federal, the state and the local government.
The court further declared that a state government has no power to appoint a caretaker committee and a local government council is only recognisable with a democratically elected government.
“A democratically elected local government is sacrosanct and non-negotiable,” the court noted.
The judgment held that the use of a caretaker committee amounts to the state government taking control of the local government and is in violation of the 1999 Constitution.
The court ruled that state governments are perpetuating a dangerous trend by refusing to allow democratically elected local government councils to function, instead appointing their loyalists who can only be removed by them.
The court also stated that it is the local government that should receive and manage funds meant for local government.
Justice Agim declared, “I hold that the state’s retention of the local government funds is unconstitutional.
“Demands of justice requires a progressive interpretation of the law. It is the position of this court that the federation can pay LG allocations to the LGs directly or pay them through the states.
“In this case, since paying them through states has not worked, justice of this case demands that LG allocations from the federation account should henceforth be paid directly to the LGs.”
The judgment held that the local government council funds must be paid to only democratically elected local government councils stating that “anything other than this will be taken as a gross misconduct.”
“A declaration that the state government has no power or control to keep the local government council money or funds.
“A declaration that the local government council is entitled to the local government allocation.
“An order of injunction restraining the defendants by themselves, agents or privies from spending local government allocation.
“A declaration that no state government should be paid any money meant for the local government.
“An immediate compliance to this judgement,” the apex court declared.
Justice Agim dismissed the objections filed by state governors.
The Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Federal Government, seeking to grant full autonomy and direct funding to all 774 local government councils in the country.
The AGF, in the suit predicated on 27 grounds, urged the apex court to issue an order prohibiting state governors from unilateral, arbitrary and unlawful dissolution of democratically elected local government leaders.
The Federal Government further contended that Nigeria as a federation, is a creation of the 1999 Constitution with the President as the Head of the Federal Executive arm of the Federation and has sworn to uphold and give effects to the provisions of the Constitution.
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