The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has emphasised that true local government effectiveness cannot be achieved without granting them full autonomy.
He made the statement while addressing journalists shortly after voting in the Lagos local government elections held in Surulere on Saturday.
Responding to a question about the status of the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government autonomy, delivered exactly a year ago, Gbajabiamila said efforts are still ongoing to fully implement the judgment.
Implementation ongoing – Gbajabiamila
“The ruling was welcomed by everybody,” he said. “It’s the execution and implementation we’re still working on — trying to dot the Is and cross the Ts. I believe that in a matter of time, we will realise full autonomy. There cannot be effective governance without full autonomy. That’s what we are working toward.”
In July 2024, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of full autonomy for all 774 local government areas across Nigeria. The judgment came after the federal government, through the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, filed a suit seeking to empower local councils to operate independently of state control.
However, the ruling is yet to be fully enforced.
Following the landmark verdict, the Senate called on both state and local governments to comply, especially regarding direct disbursement and management of local government funds. The upper chamber also moved to amend relevant constitutional provisions to strengthen the autonomy of local councils.
Announcing the decision at the time, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau revealed that lawmakers had deliberated on the matter in a closed-door session, prompted by reports of some states attempting to sidestep the Supreme Court’s directive.
