The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, believes Thursday’s Supreme Court judgment granting local governments financial autonomy is great for grass root development.
Speaking with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa hours after the judgement on Thursday, Akpabio promised that the parliament will work with the office of the Attorney General to ensure real elections are conducted at the local government levels.
“It is a great thing that the Supreme Court has done the needful and now we have to go back and think; working with the Attorney General’s office and the parliament to see how we can ensure that there is real election at the local government levels.
“And I think once that is done everybody will have confidence. It is a progress for democracy and this is the way it should be,” Akpabio said.
The Senate President also congratulated President Bola Tinubu for initiating the suit which he believes will enable local government chairmen undertake projects on their own.
“I think this is a great day for democracy and I congratulate the president for this initiative. I know that all Nigerians now know that local government administration is an arm of government meant for the grass root and their money should be for the grass root. Definitely, local government can now undertake projects on their own. So, I congratulate all,” he said.
In the judgement on Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that the Federal Government should henceforth pay allocations directly to local government councils from the federation account.
The seven-member panel of justices declared that it is unconstitutional for state governors to hold onto funds meant for Local Government (LG) administrations.
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