Legal Experts Blame Federal Government for Local Gov. Autonomy Issues

Legal practitioners have attributed the non-implementation of local government autonomy in Nigeria to the federal government, despite a Supreme Court ruling on the matter. In interviews conducted in Ibadan, Peter Idowu stated that both the federal government and Governor Seyi Makinde have failed to implement the law.

He emphasized that the constitution, which established the Joint Local Government Account, has not been amended, leaving the law in place. Idowu noted that no state has successfully implemented the Supreme Court ruling, with Osun State being an exception.

He pointed out that the federal government has remained inactive regarding the ruling due to the significant powers retained by states over local government administration. John Sola Adeyemo echoed these sentiments, questioning the accountability of governors and the continued allocation of local government funds to the Joint Account.

He suggested that Makinde's failure to implement the ruling could impact his political ambitions, as voters may prefer candidates who support local government autonomy.