The immediate past Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, has described Supreme Court judgment on financial autonomy for local governments as incisive and highly consequential for democracy.
Omo-Agege said this, in a statement he personally signed, on Thursday in Asaba, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He also described the judgment as victory for accountable governance at the grassroots and a victory for all Nigerians.
”Standing firmly once again as the final, infallible judicial protector of the rule of law and constitutional order in our nation, the Supreme Court of Nigeria today delivered a bold, incisive and highly consequential judgment.
”The judgement, which uphold the well-founded constitutional suit of the Federal Government ably led by President Bola Tinubu, on the critical need to guarantee full financial autonomy to the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in our Federal Republic.
“By this unanimous landmark lead judgment, delivered by Honourable Justice Emmanuel Agim, the full erudite panel of seven Noble Lords of the Supreme Court gave the much needed life to good democratic governance at the grassroots of our democracy, ” he said.
‘Omo-Agege added, ”It is a good day for our democracy and constant desire for accountable governance at all levels in the polity.
“Objectively considered, it can be easily said that today’s reasoned decision by their Lordships of the Supreme Court is a great win for all Nigerians, without exception,” he said.
He said those who may have opposed the patriotic spirit and overriding national interest that fuelled the action instituted by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN would have come to terms with the truth that the judgment was good for the nation.
He reiterated that the nation desperately needed unfettered financial autonomy for councils to enhance their constitutional mandate to deliver qualitative basic amenities ant the grassroots across the country.
“By affirming the full financial autonomy of the LGAs; restating that our LGAs can only be governed on the basis of proper democratic elections; declaring the appointment of LGA caretaker committees as a glaring constitutional aberration.
”The judgement also declared that no House of Assembly of a State has the power to make laws interfering with the finances of the LGAs; and consequentially directing the Federal Government to pay monies for the LGAs directly to them from the Federation Account.
”The Supreme Court has commendably touched the very justice of serious substantive issues that have become popular agitations by vigilant citizens over the years.
”The Court’s progressive interpretation of the law is profound, patriotic and worthy of serious applause,” he said.
Omo-Agege, however, said that more needed to be done to make the landmark judgment more impactful.
According to him, the Constitution needed to be reviewed to transfer organisation of elections at the third tier to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
”This will help to guarantee the credibility of elections into local councils across Nigeria.
“It needs to be said that as profoundly far-reaching and helpful as today’s judgment sounds, its benefits may not fully crystalise for the good of the nation.
”Until the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) is further altered to guarantee the conduct of credible elections into the LGAs by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
”The nation must accept the whole truth that the perennial charade happening in many States in the name of LGA elections is unsustainable.
” We must terminate that collective shame and evolve a new electoral order that will produce credible leaders that will responsibly and judiciously manage the relative huge resources that will soon start flowing to the LGAs,” he said. (NAN)
