The Chief Whip of the Senate and Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has hailed the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration following the Supreme Court judgment on Local Government autonomy.
The fiery Senator and critic of the current administration described the Supreme Court judgment on Local Government financial autonomy as the greatest achievement of President Bola Tinubu since he assumed office in 2023.
Ndume made this disclosure while praising the administration for initiating a court action at the Supreme Court, which has now birthed a new financial regime for Local Governments Councils across the country.
This was contained in a statement made available to journalists on Friday in Abuja.
The Senate Chief Whip described the judgment as the biggest achievement of President Tinubu so far.
The lawmaker, however, called on Tinubu to immediately commence the implementation of the court judgment without further delay. He noted that the people at the grassroots must begin to feel the impacts of good governance.
Ndume said, “Since State Governors hijacked the Local Government administration in Nigeria, by relying on a controversial section of the 1999 Constitution as amended, no meaningful development has happened at the grassroots.
“This court action instituted at the behest of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the biggest of his achievements. I’m very happy about the development. And I’m hoping that this will be the beginning of the liberation of Local Governments in Nigeria.
“I urge the President to immediately commence the implementation of the Court judgment. Local Government Councils need to start getting their monthly allocations immediately without any further delays. The people at the grassroots levels will begin to feel the impacts of good governance now,” he said.
Ndume added, “The National Assembly made several attempts to amend the 1999 Constitution and address this grey area. But Governors didn’t allow the State Assemblies to give the constitutional concurrence. That was how the attempts failed.
“President Muhammadu Buhari also tried to intervene. Governors didn’t allow him. With this Supreme Court judgment, the issue has finally been resolved. No more unnecessary deductions from funds earmarked for Local Governments.
“The people can now hold the Council Chairmen accountable for how they spend their monthly allocations. They’ll begin to demand true accountability and judicious use of the funds they’ll be getting. I salute the courage of President Tinubu.”
source: PUNCH
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