News

LG autonomy: Senate backs Supreme Court’s judgment, to amend constitution

Published

2 years ago

October 10, 2024

Advocate News Nigeria

Spread the love

•Asks states to comply with judgments

ABUJA- THE Senate said yesterday it was fully behind the Supreme Court’s judgment on local government autonomy.

It also assured that it would work with the House of Representatives to ensure alterations to the relevant provisions of the Constitution to provide for the full autonomy of local governments in the country.

The Upper Chamber asked all the states and local governments to fully comply with the Supreme Court’s judgment on the disbursement and utilisation of funds to the third tier of government.

Resolutions of the Senate were sequel to prayers by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, APC, Kano North.

After the closed-door session that started at 12.46 and ended at 2.08 pm. Jibrin came up with two prayers.

The first prayer was seconded by Senator Abdul Ningi, PDP, Bauchi Central and the second, by the Senate Whip, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, APC, Borno North.

Jibrin said: “Based on the deliberation made by this August Senate, and it just concluded its session, I stand to move on behalf of this Senate for the approval of two prayers in respect of the motion brought by Senator Tony Nwoye, thereby discarding the earlier prayers in the motion as brought by him. The two prayers are as follows.

“1: That all states and local governments fully comply with the recent Supreme Court judgment on the disbursement and utilization of funds allocated to all local governments in Nigeria.

”2: That the Senate ensures alterations to the relevant provisions of the constitution to provide for the full autonomy of local governments in Nigeria.’

In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said: “The Supreme Court has said the money should go directly to the accounts of the government in the country. And so we have deliberated on it. The Supreme Court of Nigeria is the final court of the land.

“In other words, the Nigerian Senate stands strongly behind the Supreme Court’s position on its efforts, through judicial pronouncement, to sanitize the administration of local governments in the country and stop further abuse of local government funds. So we stand strongly behind the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

“In addition to that, we have looked at the motion and we agreed that some of the prayers in the motion are such that could conflict with existing regulations, including the constitution. And accordingly, I will invite the Deputy Senate President to present the prayers that we jointly agree upon that should go out there so that the press will be well guided and nobody will go and say the Senate said this or said that. ”We believe strongly that if there is any legacy this administration will leave behind, including the 10th Senate, it is the legacy of sanitizing the local governments.

“We will ensure that local government funds are well utilized for the benefit of the rural people and at the same time, local governments are allowed to function and function well. That will also in due course include their elections.”

After Senator Jibrin Barau moved the first prayer, Akpabio said: “He has moved prayer one in respect of the earlier discussed motion that all states and local governments should immediately comply with the recently pronounced judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Any seconder?

“Distinguished colleagues, the motion has been proposed in respect of the earlier discussed motion by the deputy senate president, prayer one saying all states, all tiers of government in the federation should immediately comply with the recently pronounced judgments of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, particularly relating to local government accounts.

”Then the funds of local government go directly to the local government for its utilization to improve the lot of Nigerians. And this prayer has been seconded by Senator Ningi.

Confusion in Senate over implementation of financial autonomy

Meanwhile, confusion yesterday trailed the debate on local government autonomy in the Senate, as the chamber was later forced into a closed-door session.

Trouble started soon after Senator Tony Nwoye, LP Anambra North, came up with a point of Order which was sustained by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

Nwoye, who came through orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Rules, moved a motion on alleged moves by some state governments to circumvent the implementation of the judgement of the Supreme Court through counter-laws from their respective state Houses of Assembly.

As he was still speaking in the hallowed chamber, Nwoye told the Senate that nine other senators were co-sponsors of the motion.

He specifically alleged that some governors were already using their Houses of Assembly to enact laws that would mandate respective local government councils in their states to remit monies into the state / local government joint account, which the Supreme Court ruled against.

Immediately he rounded off his presentation containing six prayers for enforcement of the judgement and seconded by Senator Osita Izunaso, APC Imo West, his colleague, Senator Adamu Aliero, PDP Kebbi Central, raised a constitutional point of order for stoppage of debate on the motion.

Aliero, who cited Section 287 of the 1999 Constitution that makes Supreme Court judgement enforceable across the country, urged the Senate not to overflog the issue.

He said: “Supreme Court judgement is enforceable across the country. There is no need for us to be debating anything that has to do with it here.”

Agreeing with Senator Aliero, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, raised another constitutional issue, calling the attention of senators to section 162, sub-section 6 of the 1999 constitution.

The section, according to Akpabio, created the state/local government joint account which has to be amended in paving the way for full implementation of the Supreme Court judgement.

Akpabio said: ” I think what we need to do is to carry out required amendments of certain provisions of the constitution, as far as local government’s autonomy is concerned.”

But before taking a final decision on the motion, the sponsor, Senator Nwoye hurriedly raised Order 42 of the Senate Standing rules for a personal explanation of the motion at the same time Senator Abdulrahman Summaila Kawu, NNPP, Kano South, raised a similar point of order.

The simultaneous points of Order brought confusion into the session, with many senators rushing to the Senate President for a personal consultation, which eventually made the Senate dissolve into an emergency closed-door session at exactly 12: 46pm.

PROMISES DELIVERED

News

Mbah to 17 New LG Council Chairmen: No Honeymoon, Work to Eradicate Poverty

Published

3 hours ago

September 30, 2026

Advocate News Nigeria

Spread the love

Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, has charged the newly sworn-in chairmen of the 17 local government areas in the state to immediately commence work, stressing that the local government system is not a passive arm of government in the state, but an active partner in the development agenda of the state government.

Mbah gave the charge following the swearing-in of the newly elected local government chairmen and vice chairmen at Government House, Enugu.

The Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) had on Sunday declared candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winners of the 17 chairmanship and 260 councillorship seats in the council election conducted across the state on Saturday.

The chairmen and their council areas are John Ogbodo, Nkanu West; Mike Ogbuekwe, Nkanu East; Ugochukwu Nwanjoku, Aninri; Jude Chinedu Asogwa, Nsukka; Caleb Ani, Enugu South; Ugo Ferdinand Ukwueze, Igboeze South; Brendan Emeka Ani, Isi-Uzo; Ibenaku Onoh, Enugu North; Martin Amadieze, Igbo-Etiti; and Innocent Ezeoha, Udenu.

Others are Chris Onyekachi Simon, Igboeze North; Chijioke Ezeugwu, Uzo Uwani; Hyginus Agu, Udi; Uche Okolo, Awgu; Beloved Dan Anike, Enugu East; Greg Anyaegbudike, Oji River; and Vitals Ndu, Ezeagu.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony the governor reminded the chairmen that the promises they made during the electioneering period had now become obligations to the electorate, describing the relationship between elected officials and the people as a social contract.

“In the last few weeks, you went around the communities, meeting our people, soliciting their votes. They have done you that honour of giving you their mandates to serve them and it is now your turn to discharge those commitments.

“So, what you have just done here today is beyond symbolism. It is quite significant because it means that you have just sealed the social contract you have with the people.

“I would, therefore, imagine that you are going to hit the ground running because there is really no honeymoon when we have quite a whole number of tasks ahead of us at this point,” he asserted.

Mbah stressed the strategic importance of the local government system, describing it as the tier of government closest to the people and a critical partner in the state’s development agenda.

He said the government’s objective to eradicate poverty could not be achieved without addressing poverty in rural communities where there is prevalence of poverty.

He, therefore, urged them to align their programmes and priorities with the broader development agenda of his administration, particularly in education, healthcare, sanitation, agriculture and poverty reduction.

Mbah further charged them to make themselves accessible and accountable to the people.

“You must be accessible to the people that elected you. You must be accountable to them. And you must spend their resources responsibly,” Mbah stressed.

On education, the governor urged the chairmen to go beyond physical infrastructure and focus on measurable outcomes, including literacy, numeracy and school enrolment.

“It should equally interest you to have the statistics of those kids that are of school age that are not in school in your local government and to be actively working to ensure that you have zero — and I mean zero — not even one child who is of school age should be out of school,” he said.

He urged the chairmen to make the welfare of poor and vulnerable residents a priority, saying poverty eradication would require deliberate measurement of progress rather than mere political declarations.

Responding on behalf of the chairmen, the re-elected Chairman of Igboeze South Local Government Area and Deputy Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, Enugu State, Barr. Ugo Ferdinand Ukwueze, expressed appreciation to the people of the state and Mbah for giving them the privilege to serve.

He said some of them, who had previously served under Mbah, had acquired valuable experience during the period and pledged the commitment of the chairmen to good governance and expressed confidence that, at the end of their tenure, they would be proud of their contributions to the development of Enugu State.

“For those of us that were privileged to serve under your leadership in the past two years, I can tell you that the knowledge gained, experience acquired cannot be measured in words.

“We want to sincerely commit and recommit ourselves to the course of your good governance so that at the end of our tenure, we will be proud that Enugu State gave you the opportunity to groom us to what we are actually becoming,” he said.

The event was witnessed by the Deputy Governor, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai; members representing Nkanu East and West, as well as Igboeze North and South Federal Constituencies, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji and Hon. Dennis Agbo, respectively; Deputy National Chairman (South) of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Ben Nwoye; State APC Chairman, Dr. Martin Chukwunweike; Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia; Chief of Staff, Barr. Victor Udeh, among several other dignitaries and senior government officials.

PROMISES DELIVERED

News

Atiku demands release of five men ‘arrested’ for wearing ‘Tinubu Must Go’ T-shirts

Published

4 hours ago

September 30, 2026

Advocate News Nigeria

Atiku and Tinubu

Spread the love

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has demanded the immediate release of five men reportedly arrested for wearing “Tinubu Must Go” T-shirts in Borno State.

Atiku made the demand on Wednesday in a statement by his Special Senior Media Adviser, Phrank Shaibu.

He criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu for presiding over a cost-of-living crisis driven by high fuel, food and electricity costs.

According to him, wearing a political slogan is not a crime in a democracy, noting that President Tinubu once protested against former President Goodluck Jonathan over fuel prices.

“Tinubu opposed Jonathan’s fuel policy in the streets. Nigerians are living with the consequences of Tinubu’s fuel policy in their homes. Parents are cutting meals. Workers can scarcely afford the journey to work.

“Families are being crushed by bills that rise faster than their income, and when citizens put their anger on a T-shirt, the response is reportedly an arrest. What kind of democracy grants its President the right to protest, then takes that right away from everyone else?

“‘Tinubu Must Go’ is a demand for political change. It is not a weapon, a threat or a crime. President Tinubu can disagree with those words. He can campaign against them. He cannot make people disappear into custody for wearing them,” Atiku said.

He called on the authorities to disclose the detainees’ whereabouts, grant them immediate access to their families and lawyers, and release them if the slogan is the basis for their arrest.

“Tinubu was free to tell Jonathan that his policies were hurting Nigerians. Nigerians must be free to tell Tinubu that his own policies are hurting them. Release these five citizens now,” Atiku demanded.

PROMISES DELIVERED

News

Military records 367 attacks, kills 52 terrorists in September

Published

5 hours ago

September 30, 2026

Advocate News Nigeria

Spread the love

The Defence Headquarters has said it recorded 367 attacks across various theatres of operation in September 2026.

A breakdown showed that Operation Enduring Peace recorded the highest number of attacks with 147 incidents, followed by Operation Fansan Yamma with 115 and Operation Whirl Stroke with 55.

Operation Hadin Kai recorded 33 attacks, while Operation Savannah Shield recorded 13 and Operation Udo Ka recorded four. Operation Delta Safe recorded no attacks during the period.

Speaking while reeling out the achievements of the military across the theatres of operation on Wednesday, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, said troops responded decisively to the incidents, swiftly engaging the assailants with superior firepower and tactical manoeuvre and successfully countering the attacks.

He said, “During the period under review, the AFN recorded a total of 367 attacks across various theatres of operation. Operation HADIN KAI recorded 33 attacks, Operation FANSAN YAMMA recorded 115, Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD recorded 13, Operation ENDURING PEACE recorded 147, Operation WHIRL STROKE recorded 55, and Operation UDO KA (OPUK) recorded 4, while Operation DELTA SAFE recorded no attacks. Troops responded decisively to these incidents, swiftly engaging the assailants with superior firepower and tactical manoeuvre, and successfully countering the attacks.”

Onoja also said troops arrested 350 terrorists and criminals, rescued 655 kidnapped civilians and facilitated the surrender of 75 insurgents.

He added that troops recovered 52 arms and 2,335 rounds of ammunition, dismantled eight illegal refining sites and recovered more than 304,822 litres of stolen petroleum products during the period.

“The operational record for the month of September is indicative of the AFN’s resolve across all operational theatres to ensure the creation of a safe and secure environment in the country,” he said.

He added, “The AFN neutralised 52 terrorists and criminals; arrested 350 terrorist/criminals; rescued 655 kidnapped civilians; 75 insurgents surrendered; recovered 52 arms and 2,335 rounds of ammunition; dismantled 8 illegal refining sites; and recovered over 304,822 litres of stolen petroleum products.”

For the third quarter, Onoja said troops killed 554 terrorists and arrested 1,333 terrorists and criminals.

Onoja said, “The AFN demonstrated sustained capacity in confronting the full spectrum of security challenges facing the nation, from terrorism and banditry in the northern theatres to kidnapping, oil theft and secessionist agitation in the southern theatres.

“The scale of successes recorded for the Third Quarter 2026, ranging from the neutralisation of 554 terrorists and criminals; arrest of 1,333 terrorist/criminals; rescue of 1,736 kidnapped civilians; surrender of 333 insurgents; capture of 244 arms and 8,160 rounds of ammunition; dismantling of 104 illegal refining sites; and recovery of 1,610,402 litres of stolen petroleum products represents a significant degradation of criminal and terrorist operational capacity nationwide.”