Presidency Sends Strong Warning to Governors Over LG Financial Autonomy

The Presidency has issued a stern warning to state governors, urging them to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling that grants full financial autonomy to local governments.

Bayo Onanuga, the Presidential media assistant, delivered this message through a post on his official X handle on Thursday. He emphasized the importance of adhering to the court’s decision, which mandates that all local government areas (LGAs) receive their monthly allocations directly into their accounts.

Onanuga stressed that governors should respect this financial autonomy and avoid misusing the funds allocated to local councils. “The Nigerian state governors should not see the Supreme Court judgement granting financial autonomy to the local councils as an affront,” he stated.

In his post, which included a photo featuring Governors Sanwo-Olu, Zulum, and others, Onanuga reiterated the need for governors to support the autonomy of local councils. “The governors must allow the councils to breathe and flourish again. It is in their best interest to ensure that the judgement is fully implemented in their domains,” he added.

He highlighted the crucial role of local governments as a fundamental tier of governance, noting that their marginalization by state governors over the past 25 years has contributed significantly to widespread poverty and insecurity. “The local council is a very important third tier of government, and its emasculation by the governors in the last 25 years has been at the root of the poverty and insecurity we have all over our country,” Onanuga said.

The warning from the Presidency underscores the ongoing struggle for decentralization and the empowerment of local governments in Nigeria, aiming to ensure more effective governance and development at the grassroots level.