Following the recent decision by the Supreme Court of Nigeria on local government autonomy, Laolu Akande, former spokesman for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has voiced optimism that the ruling will catalyze essential reforms, Daily Post reported.
The Supreme Court ruled against the federal government’s practice of disbursing local government allocations through state governments. Justice Emmanuel Agim, delivering the verdict in response to a suit filed by the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, emphasized the unconstitutional nature of states withholding these funds.
Akande commended the Supreme Court for upholding what he termed as “common sense and reason” in its decision. Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, he highlighted the detrimental effects of states controlling local government allocations, asserting that it has led to the decline and inefficiency of local governance structures nationwide.
“It’s exciting that the Supreme Court has acted on the side of common sense and reason. We hope that it will be compelling enough for us to start seeing some changes,” Akande remarked during the interview.
He pointed out the broader implications of the ruling, noting its potential to restore autonomy to local governments and improve their capacity to deliver essential services directly to communities.
Akande acknowledged that while some governors may not be affected by the decision, it represents an important moment for reasserting the role and responsibilities of local governments in Nigeria’s governance framework.
“Certainly, there are governors who are not affected, but we have suffered as a people due to the disappearance of effective local government administration. We hope that this is going to be a turning point,” Akande concluded, expressing optimism for a positive transformation in local governance dynamics following the Supreme Court’s decisive stance….Discover _More
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