The Senate has resolved to back the Supreme Court’s decision on local government autonomy, Cyber Reporters report.
It also stated that it would work with the House of Representatives to ensure that the relevant articles of the Constitution are amended to allow for full autonomy of local governments throughout the country.
The Upper Chamber urged all states and local governments to completely comply with the Supreme Court’s decision on the allocation and use of money for the third tier of government.
The Senate passed resolutions in response to prayers from the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, APC, Kano 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.
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.
“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.”
