State governors have launched a fresh bid to thwart the implementation of local government autonomy, urging President Bola Tinubu to block the direct payment of federal allocations to local councils. The governors, who met with Tinubu at the State House in Abuja, argued that direct funding would undermine their authority and create chaos in the states. They claimed that the move would also lead to a duplication of projects, as local governments might embark on initiatives already being implemented by the state governments. However, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has been eagerly awaiting the direct payment of N337.019 billion into local government accounts, as ordered by the Supreme Court. The court’s verdict, delivered in May 2023, declared that the federal government must pay allocations directly to the local councils, rather than through the state governments. The governors’ lobbying efforts have sparked concerns that the implementation of the Supreme Court’s verdict might be delayed or even derailed. This could perpetuate the existing power dynamics between state governors and local council officials, undermining the autonomy of local governments. According to a source familiar with the meeting, the governors presented their case to Tinubu, emphasizing the potential consequences of direct funding. The source revealed that the governors were adamant that direct payment would lead to a loss of control over the local councils and create administrative challenges. The development has raised questions about the commitment of the federal government to implementing the Supreme Court’s verdict. The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) had earlier directed banks to freeze local government accounts, pending the resolution of the dispute over direct funding. As the debate over local government autonomy continues, the fate of the N337.019 billion allocated for direct payment to local councils remains uncertain. The outcome of the governors’ lobbying efforts will likely determine whether the implementation of the Supreme Court’s verdict is delayed or derailed.
