State governors have launched a fresh bid to delay the implementation of the Supreme Court’s judgment granting financial autonomy to local governments.

The governors are reportedly mounting pressure on top federal officials to soften the implementation.

Recall that the Supreme Court, on July 11, 2024, delivered a landmark judgment affirming the financial autonomy of the 774 local government areas in Nigeria. The court ruled that it was illegal and unconstitutional for governors to manage and withhold local government funds. The apex court directed the Accountant-General of the Federation to pay local government allocations directly to their accounts.

Following the judgment, the Federal Government instituted a 10-member inter-ministerial committee to implement the Supreme Court’s ruling. The committee, headed by Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, includes prominent members such as Minister of Finance Wale Edun, Attorney General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi, and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Olayemi Cardoso.

Despite the Federal Government’s efforts to implement the judgment, state governors are resisting the move. Sources close to the Presidency reveal that governors are lobbying top officials to stall the implementation.

Civil society groups, including the Centre for Accountability and Open Leadership (CACOL) and the United Global Resolve for Peace (UGRP), have condemned the governors’ actions. CACOL Chairman Debo Adeniran stated, “We know that they didn’t like what the President did by asking the Supreme Court to adjudicate on the matter. They are actually mounting pressure, not just lobbying, mounting pressure on all forces to ensure that the implementation of that order doesn’t come.

“That lobby is unnecessary, it’s unwarranted and the President should not allow it to work. If the President insists, then they will not succeed because the rule of law must prevail; the Supreme Court has ruled, it is just for them to implement, so nothing must stop it, otherwise, we would have put the rule of law in jeopardy and that’s not good for us.”

Local government officials and chairmen have expressed mixed reactions to the development. Some welcome direct allocation, while others remain skeptical.

Chairman of Kwami Local Government Area of Gombe State, Dr. Ahmed Wali, said, “We are hoping to receive the allocation in October as plans are in the pipeline to open accounts for local governments with CBN.”

Meanwhile, the new Chairman of Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State, Mallam Adam Rufai, said the council had not been notified about payment of the allocation.

“We don’t know yet because we were just elected into the council. We have no information on whether the allocation is going to be paid directly to the council by the Federal Government. No one has given us such information,” he said.

A senior local government official revealed that following the Supreme Court’s judgment, all local governments in the state opened new commercial bank accounts to receive allocations. However, the official expressed uncertainty about receiving direct funding.

“We’ve received September salaries, but I doubt we’ve gotten direct allocation from the Federal Government yet,” the official said.