The Supreme Court had declared it unconstitutional for state governors to hold funds allocated for local government administrations.
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has stated that a lacuna has been created between the Supreme Court judgement granting autonomy to local government councils and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Supreme Court had declared it unconstitutional for state governors to hold funds allocated for local government administrations.
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.
However, Governor Makinde while speaking during an emergency consultative stakeholders’ meeting held in Ibadan, said the state could solve its own problems and prioritise its people.
He emphasised that the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) would continue to deposit local government allocations into the States/Local Governments Joint Account as stipulated in the 1999 Constitution.
Governor Makinde announced that the FAAC would delay the implementation of the Supreme Court’s decision for the next 90 days, starting at its meeting on Tuesday, July 16.
During the meeting, two committees, technical and legal were established to review the Supreme Court’s verdict and present their findings within four weeks.
His said; “Let me thank you all for joining this important consultative meeting. I want us to discuss the decision of the Supreme Court as it concerns the financial autonomy of the local government councils.
“I believe a lacuna has been created between the decision and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We all swore to uphold the constitution but the law is the law.
“If the law is in conflict, it behoves us to look for our home-grown solution that can ensure that we have transparency and operate with our people. This is because when two elephants are fighting, the grass will suffer.
“Since the beginning of this administration, we have conducted two local government elections. When I was sworn in, I dissolved the local government.
“The Supreme Court just basically said to us that governors don’t have the right to dissolve the councils, but why did I dissolve them then?
“It was because elections were held into the LCDAs, and the same Supreme Court has now said that only 774 LGAs are in Nigeria. So, there is confusion in the land.”
Governor Makinde highlighted the state’s efforts in addressing local governance challenges, emphasising the administration’s achievements since 2019, including the payment of backlogged salaries, pensions, and gratuities, as well as improvements in primary healthcare facilities and education infrastructure.
“We were able to clear those salary arrears. We paid N18billion in pension and gratuities over these periods. We upgraded about 209 PHCs, equipped about 264, and completed 60 model schools.
“We constructed and renovated hundreds of primary school classrooms and fixed some inner roads, but there are still challenges that we have to address.
“We still have a backlog of gratuities and pensions. The local government is owing about N55billion in pension and gratuities.
“Our people do not care if the road is fixed by the FG or the state government or the LG. They just want to see good roads.”
“For us in Oyo State, we can solve our own problems, deal with our situation, and prioritise our people. Our pass mark is to discuss among ourselves and whatever we agree upon,” he added.
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