THE CABLE
For over 72 hours, the landmark supreme court judgement granting financial autonomy to Nigeria’s 774 LGAs has been the nation’s most discussed topic.
On Thursday, the apex court granted the federal government’s prayers seeking direct disbursement of funds from the federation account to the LGA, bypassing the state government.
The court criticised the practice of states creating and controlling caretaker committees, reiterating that local government councils should be democratically elected as stipulated by the constitution.
Six out of a seven-member panel of the apex court also ordered the federal government to withhold allocations of LGAs governed by unelected officials appointed by governors.
WHO WILL FUND THE LCDAs IN LAGOS?
Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) are subdivisions of local government areas.
Although a few states have LCDAs, Lagos, which was the first to create such in 2002, is most prominent with 37 LCDAs.
Olorunnimbe Mamora, then speaker of the Lagos state house of assembly, said LCDAs would bring governance and development closer to the grassroots.
Its legitimacy became a highly contentious issue and former President Olusegun Obasanjo stopped the release of federal allocations meant for the LGAs to the state.
Lagos, under Bola Tinubu, then governor of the state and now president of the country, challenged the federal government at the supreme court and got the apex court to rule in its favour on December 10, 2004.
Muhammadu Uwais, who delivered the lead judgement, held that “the creation of new local government areas or councils is supported by the provisions of the Constitution” as provided for under Section 8(5).
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