The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have locked horns over the recent Supreme Court judgment that grants financial autonomy to local governments in Nigeria.
While the PDP has voiced concerns about the potential fallout from the ruling, the APC has criticized the opposition party for allegedly opposing grassroots democracy.
A month after the Supreme Court’s decision, PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba addressed a press conference in Abuja, expressing that the matter was far from resolved.
“The concern is very clear, and local governments are related to the state because they are closer to it. Now, as a party, we are reviewing those positions of the Supreme Court with concern. And I will say this—the fact that the Federal Government is trying to create another bureaucracy that would be corrupt or deviant in local government control, we think that would be another recipe for trouble,” Ologunagba stated.
The Supreme Court ruling, delivered on July 11 by Justice Emmanuel Agim, asserts that the 36 state governors can no longer control the funds allocated to the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria. This judgment reinforces the financial independence of local governments and bars state governments from appointing caretaker committees, affirming that only democratically elected local governments are legitimate.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who is also the Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, warned of the potential consequences of the ruling.
“The law is the law and when there is a conflict, yes, we should go to the court. But it behooves us to look for our own homegrown solutions that can ensure that we have transparency and that our people do not suffer. This is because when two elephants are fighting it is the grass that will suffer,” Makinde remarked.
Ologunagba further articulated the PDP’s stance, expressing concerns about the Federal Government’s involvement in local government affairs.
“The state government has responsibility. If there is a problem in the local government, they won’t call the Federal Government; they will call the state government. So there must be that understanding that the state government has a duty, has a responsibility, and what you can work on is the best way to allow for the efficiency of that state government, with the governors and the concerns provided for local government joint accounts,” he said.
In response, APC National Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, dismissed the PDP’s concerns as baseless and accused the party of attempting to undermine the progress made by the Supreme Court’s ruling.
“Even as a layman in law, I know that once the Supreme Court has decided a matter, it is the ultimate. Nobody can challenge that, unless the PDP is trying to initiate something afresh that does not exist in the Constitution. This is to tell you that the PDP, notwithstanding that it is in the opposition, is a party that wants to perpetuate corruption,” Ibrahim stated.
He continued by criticizing the PDP for allegedly standing in the way of the people’s progress.
“By the creation and provision of the Constitution, the local government is the closest government to the people and it is supposed to be one government interface directly with the people. These local governments have been given the powers to discharge their duty in a manner that will give dividends to the people and you are saying no. You want to review it and see how state governments can continue to emasculate the people. This is a shame. This is not opposition; I will say it’s criminality,” Ibrahim concluded.
As the debate continues, the implications of the Supreme Court’s judgment on local government autonomy remain a contentious issue between the two major political parties in Nigeria.