Following the Supreme Court’s judgement granting financial autonomy to the 774 Local Government Areas in the country, Anambra Governor, Charles Soludo and his Cross River counterpart, Bassey Otu, gave positive reactions.
The apex court, in a landmark judgement, ruled that it is unconstitutional for Governors to hold onto funds meant for local governments.
The Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision by a seven-member panel of justices, barred Governors of the 36 states of the federation from receiving, withholding, tampering or utilizing funds that stand to the credit of the local government areas.
Soludo who described the judgment as great and final, said this while speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with Tinubu, alongside chairman of Nigeria’s Governors Forum, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq of Kwara State, Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State and Prince Bassey Otu of Cross River State at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He said: “That’s great. I mean, the Supreme Court is supreme, the final authority and I’m a democrat. I believe in the rule of law.
“Once the Supreme Court has spoken, it has spoken. I think the Governors Forum is meeting to review this. I haven’t seen the document myself. I’ve been extremely, very busy all through the day but I’ve seen snippets of it.
“But at a fundamental level, yes, we need resources to get down to the grassroots and we need the people’s money to work for them at all levels, whether at the federal or the state and the local government.”
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Otu, on his part, said the Governors had taken the judgement in good faith.
“About the Supreme Court judgement, Nigeria is a democratic country, and we know very well that President Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Agenda is a democratic one.
“I believe the judgment is taken in very good faith. All Nigerians should be happy about it. I don’t think anybody is against development in the local governments. I don’t think so.”
Also reacting, the Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, said: ‘’The Supreme Court judgement is one that should be hailed and applauded, especially for the courage and independence shown by the judiciary.
“The Supreme Court, being a policy court, did what is right and beneficial to the society. While it may look like interference in the states, we should accept that all the calls for end of insecurity, kidnappings and banditry has just begun with this autonomy granted to local governments.
“When the local governments are in total control of their funds, there is flow of resources and activities in the local areas. For instance, when I was governor between 1999-2007, the autonomy of my local government chairmen was a major breakthrough to the success of my administration.
“The local government chairmen built roads and gave contracts to local contractors. The chairmen were able to take full responsibility of what happened in their local government and crime was reduced to the barest minimum.’’
Meanwhile, efforts to get the NGF Chairman’s reaction proved abortive as he evaded questions from State House correspondents after meeting with the President.
