Abuja—Senator Tony Okechukwu Nwoye, representing Anambra North Senatorial District, has called on the Senate to take action against state governments passing laws that undermine the financial independence of local governments in Nigeria. In a motion presented as a matter of urgent public importance, Senator Nwoye highlighted the need to stop state assemblies from enacting laws that violate constitutional provisions and a recent Supreme Court ruling guaranteeing local government autonomy.
During his address, Nwoye expressed concern that some state governments are using their Houses of Assembly to pass laws that weaken the financial autonomy of local governments. He warned that these actions could lead to the extinction of local governance in Nigeria, stifling development at the grassroots level.
Co-sponsoring the motion were Senators Steve Sunday Karimi, Ali Sharafadeen, Kelvin Chukwu, and several others. They echoed Nwoye’s concerns, warning that if left unchecked, these violations could ultimately dismantle local governments, which are constitutionally established as the closest tier of governance to the people.
The issue stems from a Supreme Court ruling on July 11, 2024, which mandated that all funds allocated to Nigeria’s 774 local government areas from the Federation account must be paid directly into their accounts. The court emphasized that these funds should not be processed through state accounts, in a bid to protect local government autonomy from undue interference by state authorities.
Despite this ruling, Nwoye pointed out that some states are still attempting to enact laws that require local governments to remit portions of their allocations to state-controlled accounts, bypassing the court’s decision. He stressed that local governments need financial autonomy to effectively deliver public services and infrastructure to their communities.
Nwoye’s motion also urged the Accountant General of the Federation and the Minister of Finance to withhold funds from local governments in states where such laws have been passed, apart from the payment of staff salaries. The motion further called on State Houses of Assembly to refrain from passing laws that infringe on local government autonomy, and for the Attorney-General of the Federation to take legal action against any state or state assembly found to be violating the Constitution or the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Additionally, Senator Nwoye called for collaboration between the Senate Committee on Local Government and anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), to ensure strict enforcement of the Supreme Court’s ruling. He also pushed for a constitutional review to strengthen the financial independence of local governments and prevent future violations by state governments.
Despite the significance of the issue, the Senate did not fully adopt the seven resolutions proposed by Senator Nwoye and his co-sponsors. The motion was amended, and only two resolutions were ultimately accepted.
Senator Nwoye concluded by appealing to civil society organizations, the media, and the public to raise awareness about the importance of local government autonomy and to hold local governments accountable for the responsible use of their funds.
