Labour Party Urges Tinubu to Sign Executive Order on Local Government Autonomy

Labour Party Urges Tinubu to Sign Executive Order on Local Government Autonomy

The Labour Party (LP) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately sign an Executive Order enforcing local government autonomy, warning that further delay would amount to a betrayal of the Supreme Court and millions of Nigerians at the grassroots level.

In a statement issued by Dr Arabambi Abayomi, the party’s National Vice Chairman (South West), the LP accused state governors of persistently undermining local government autonomy despite the Supreme Court judgement of July 11, 2024, which mandated direct allocation of funds from the Federation Account to local government councils.

The party noted that although President Tinubu has publicly acknowledged the need for an Executive Order to compel compliance with the ruling, no concrete action has followed, allowing governors to continue what it described as “willful and unconstitutional interference” in local government finances.

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According to the LP, the apex court ruling—which abolished the State Joint Local Government Account—was a landmark victory for democracy, fiscal federalism, and grassroots development, but has been treated with what it called “open disdain,” particularly by governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The party specifically referenced Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, citing a recent presentation of vehicles to local government chairmen in the state as evidence of continued financial control by state governments.

“If local government chairmen are truly receiving their full, constitutionally guaranteed allocations, why should they depend on the governor for basic operational resources?” the statement queried, describing the practice as one designed to keep councils subservient to state authorities rather than accountable to the electorate.

The LP warned that such arrangements foster corruption, weaken local initiatives, and replace transparent procurement processes with patronage, thereby stalling meaningful development at the grassroots.

The party urged President Tinubu to move beyond rhetoric and immediately direct the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to remit all local government allocations directly to the accounts of duly elected councils.

“The President’s admission that he holds ‘the knife and the yam’ must now translate into decisive action,” the statement said, warning that continued delay would constitute an affront to the Supreme Court ruling.

The Labour Party also cautioned Governor Abiodun and other governors allegedly withholding local government funds to desist, threatening comprehensive forensic audits of local government finances by future LP-led administrations.

Labour Party Urges Tinubu to Sign Executive Order on Local Government Autonomy