The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has expressed the Senate’s full support for the Supreme Court’s judgement granting financial autonomy to Nigeria’s 774 local governments.
Akpabio made this statement after the Senate reconvened from a closed session, following a motion sponsored by Sen. Tony Nwoye (LP-Anambra).
Nwoye’s motion addressed concerns over attempts by some state governments, through their Houses of Assembly, to enact laws that would circumvent the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government financial autonomy.
Akpabio reaffirmed the Senate’s stance, saying: “We stand solidly behind the Supreme Court’s judgement and pronouncement on local government autonomy. We have reviewed the motion and identified that some of the prayers conflict with existing constitutional provisions. As a result, we have agreed on two out of the six prayers presented.”
He emphasized that one of the legacies the 10th Senate and National Assembly aim to leave behind is ensuring that local government funds are fully utilized for the benefit of rural communities.
Following the session, the Senate approved two of the six prayers advanced by Sen. Nwoye. The Senate subsequently urged all state and local governments to fully comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling on the disbursement and utilization of funds accrued to local governments.
Additionally, the Senate committed to amending relevant provisions of the Constitution to guarantee full autonomy for local governments in Nigeria.
Akpabio thanked the lawmakers, particularly Sen. Nwoye, for raising the motion and reiterated the National Assembly’s commitment to altering any aspect of the Constitution and amending any section of the law necessary to ensure local government autonomy is fully realized.
