The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has urged Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Usman Ododo to abide by the verdict of the Supreme Court granting financial autonomy to 774 local government areas across the federation.
In a statement on Friday, Kogi State Chairman of CNPP, Mohammed Kabir Abdullahi described the judgment of the supreme court as long over due.
Abdullahi disclosed that the local government is an important tier of government which needs rapid development, adding that over the years, they have been at the mercy of the Governors across the 36 states.
He stated that the verdict of the supreme court signifies victory for democracy, stressing that the judiciary has further proven that they are the last hope of the common man.
The Kogi State CNPP Chairman described Ododo as a democrat who believes in the rule of law, adding that he is optimistic that the Governor will not contravene the judgement.
“The recent judgment of the Supreme Court granting financial autonomy to 774 Local Government in Nigeria is highly commendable. This is what I will call freedom at last. Over the years, the Local Government in Nigeria have been in shambles.
“There is high level of poverty rate, decade infrastructures and under development across board. This judgement will not only free up funds for local government areas, it will promote accountability and good governance.
“We need to promote transparency in the utilisation of public resources at all levels, to be able to lift the burden of the common man. It is on this note, CNPP is appealing to the Kogi State Governor to respect the judgement of the Supreme Court.
“He is a beneficiary of the judiciary recently when he won his case at the court of appeal which upheld his election as the duly elected Governor of Kogi State,” he said.
While CNPP congratulated him for his appeal court victory, they called on him to do the needful for the future of the state.
He tasked the Governor to as a matter of urgency conduct local government election to enable Kogites decide who will lead them at the grassroots.
” The Kogi State Government should come up with quick modalities to conduct local government elections. From the verdict of the Supreme Court, Caretaker Committee Chairmen are illegal and against the democratic setting of Nigeria.
“I am also using this medium to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting this course which Nigerians have been yearning for. With what is on ground, Nigerians should be expecting the best of governance at the grassroots”.
In a landmark judgement on Thursday, the apex court ordered the Federal Government to immediately start the direct payment of local government funds to the latter’s exclusive accounts.
In its lead judgement read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the apex court scolded the decades-long refusal of the state government on financial autonomy for local governments.
Justice Agim noted that the 774 local government councils in the country should manage their funds themselves. He said only democratically elected local government administrations are entitled to these funds and not caretaker committees.
