Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has said effective governance at the local government level cannot be achieved without full autonomy for the third tier of government.
Speaking to journalists after casting his vote in the Lagos State local government elections in Surulere on Saturday, Gbajabiamila emphasized the need for proper implementation of the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government autonomy.
“The ruling was welcomed by everybody. It’s the execution and implementation of that ruling that we are still trying to dot the I’s and cross the T’s,” he said.
“I believe in a matter of time, we will realise full autonomy. There cannot be effective governance without full autonomy. That’s what we are working toward.”
In July 2024, the Supreme Court granted full autonomy to all 774 local government areas in Nigeria, following a suit filed by the federal government through the Attorney General of the Federation. The ruling directed that local government allocations be paid directly to their accounts, without interference from state governments.
Despite the landmark judgment, full compliance has not yet been achieved, as some states have been accused of attempting to circumvent the ruling.
Following the verdict, the Senate passed a resolution urging both state and local governments to comply immediately. Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who announced the resolution on the Senate floor after a closed-door session, also revealed plans to amend the Constitution to entrench local government autonomy.
As implementation lags, analysts say the push for full autonomy remains central to improving governance, accountability, and development at the grassroots level.
