Local government areas under control of governors, says Tinubu
By Adeola Atanda
President Bola Tinubu seemed to have balked down from his administration’s initial hardline stance on local government autonomy as he told some governors on Wednesday that local government areas cited in their states are actually under their control.
While hosting the governors, who had paid him a symbolic visit to mark the New Year, President Tinubu said in a pacificatory tone: “We will not fight within us. I will drive the change. You control your local governments. You can restore hope by effectively fulfilling what the people expect at the grassroots level.
He added, “There were gossips that we had disagreements on local government autonomy. No. Just drive development at the local government. Nobody wants to take them away from you, but we need collaboration. Let’s do it together and ensure Nigeria is better off for it.”
Cornet News reports that the Supreme Court, in July 2024, ruling on the matter filed by Tinubu’s minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi against the 36 governors of the federation, declared that monetary allocations should go directly to the local government areas.
The remarkable ruling was a departure from the usual practice by which the Federal Government pay such allocation into the joint state-local government account legendarily prone to be misappropriated or stolen by the governors.
In the other part of his address to the governors, President Tinubu told them how essential they are to Nigeria’s development.
“You are the most important link to Nigeria’s prosperity and development. The federal government accounts for about 30 to 35 per cent of the allocated revenue; the rest comes to you. The agricultural value chain depends on you. You own the land, and the job is in your hands,” he said.
He urged collaboration between the federal and state governments in various areas, such as local government autonomy, agricultural productivity and currency stability.
“We have to work harder, grow more, and ensure the situation of our currency improves. Nigeria will see prosperity, but it requires consistent effort from all of us.
“There is no state we cannot visit and be proud of its development. We have better allocations now. Let me take the abuse; you take the privileges. Together, we will build a nation we are all proud of,” he said.
