LG Autonomy: How Makinde, Fintiri’s Reactions to Supreme Court Verdict Vindicate FG
The Supreme Court verdict on Local Government autonomy has sparked debates that reverberated across the country’s length and breadth.
For millions of Nigerians, the landmark ruling was a watershed and a breath of fresh air.
While Kwara State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Mallam Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman quickly assured reporters that all 36 State governors would comply with the ruling, some of his colleagues disagreed, with one describing the historic judgement as a distraction from the current socio-economic reality in the country.
‘ A distraction, but not really’
One of the dissents, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, who also doubles as the vice chairman of Nigeria’s Governor Forum, has since stirred controversy with his remark on the Supreme Court judgment. Makinde, in his first reaction 24 hours after the ruling, noted that the judgment was a distraction from the ongoing high cost of living in the country.
On Friday, June 12, 2024, while addressing members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, in Ibadan, he said, “I think it is just a distraction. We need to confront the actual problem we’re facing.”
The Governor added that the country faces the problem of not producing enough. “Maybe it is part of the problem; we want to have value for what we share, but our problem lies in productivity,” he declared. He wondered how much LGAs generate within their domains, saying the council areas cannot survive with the federal government handouts.
‘Out of touch’
Analysts faulted Makinde’s claims, asserting that the governor seems disconnected from the reality of rural dwellers. They noted that no governor has the moral right to criticize the Supreme Court verdict on the financial autonomy of the country’s third tier of government — those who are complicit.
They reminded the governor that the 774 local governments were created by the law, advising him to emulate his colleagues who have maintained decorum and exercised restraint.
Wale Ajala noted, “Seyi Makinde has exposed himself as a leader unaware of challenges hampering rural development.” Additionally, he said development all over the world is engineered from the bottom to the top, not the other way around.
He further stated that the governor cannot claim ignorance of the sad turn of the situation in the local councils where multidimensional poverty has taken a toll on the people.
Not done, the governor swiftly followed up on his contentious reaction on Friday with what he described as stakeholder engagement on Monday, July 15, 2024.
“I called this meeting because I felt that even though we have seen the certified true copy of the Supreme Court’s judgment, we have to be proactive and discuss the Supreme Court’s decision as it relates to the financial autonomy of the local government councils.”
He said the apex court’s decision has created a lacuna between the decision and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
In contrast to Governor Seyi Makinde’s stance, Adamu Fintiri, the governor of Adamawa State, expressed his support for true federalism that grants full autonomy to local governments but wanted clarification on certain clauses and sections of the constitution.
He urged the federal government to demonstrate transparency by separating the office of the Federation’s accountant general from the federal government.
Analysts argued that the Supreme Court verdict has reached its endpoint, stressing that only a truly autonomous local council can unlock and accelerate the socio-economic growth of rural areas.
Musa Garba, an analyst, asserted: Going by this historic verdict, Nigeria stands a chance to get it right once more. He further argues that development elsewhere is driven by the bottom, where most people reside and agricultural activities are concentrated.
He said, like most Nigerians, governors are entitled to their opinions but reminded them that a Supreme Court verdict is sacrosanct and binding on everyone, regardless of their status or position.
He commended the President, Bola Tinubu and AGF Lateef Fagbemi, SAN for acting in the people’s best interest.
