YADEI Initiative has described the Supreme Court Ruling on local government autonomy in Nigeria as a monumental step towards the freedom of democracy and represents a victory for every household in Nigeria.
Coordinator/Research and Team Leader, YADEI Initiative, Comr. Inyanda Emmanuel, in a press release issued in Abuja, hailed the apex court’s decision which declared it illegal and unconstitutional for state governors to continue receiving and seizing funds allocated to LGAs within their jurisdictions.
This “dubious practice,” Comr. Inyanda Emmanuel said, which has persisted for over two decades, was recognized as a clear violation of Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
“In light of this significant development, the YADEI Initiative calls on all civil society organizations to join forces with us in sustaining the rule of law and ensuring that our leaders are held accountable. It is imperative that we work collaboratively to promote good governance and enhance democratic processes at the grassroots level in Nigeria, ” the statement said.
As a call to action, YADEI Initiative therefore urged for collaboration with civil societies in order to monitor and ensure the proper implementation of the Supreme Court’s ruling.
It also called for civil societies to advocate for accountability i. e. actively engage in advocacy efforts to hold state governors and local government officials accountable for adhering to constitutional mandates.
They should also educate citizens about their rights and the importance of local government autonomy to enhance community participation in governance.
“Bad governance, no doubt, fuels insecurity, poverty, unemployment, civil unrest and uncontrollable rural-urban migration.
“To sustain this historical autonomy, our leadership choice must be informed and transparent in order to avoid sycophancy and gross abuse of democratic dividends resulting to wastage, poverty and crimes.
“The on-going merciless and looming scarcity of food in the country is significantly triggered by the consequences of dysfunctional, weak and inactive local government system which is the base of agriculture, the statement said.
