ABUJA — Sam Onuigbo, a member of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) Governing Board, has urged state governors to fully implement financial autonomy for local government councils in line with President Bola Tinubu’s recent directive and the Supreme Court judgment.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Sunday, Onuigbo commended Tinubu for his “dogged and resolute” stance, warning that governors who have been “tampering with Local Government funds should be prepared to show where the money went.”
Key Points:
· Onuigbo attributed rising insecurity and unemployment at the grassroots to governors’ unconstitutional control of council funds.
· He argued that if chairmen directly managed their finances, they could engage youths productively and curb crime.
· The former lawmaker emphasized that 26 years of undue state interference have stifled grassroots democracy and development.
“Unless the Local Government system is freed from the clutches of governors to directly access their resources… we will not achieve much-needed development at the grassroots,” Onuigbo stated.
He expressed confidence that full implementation of council autonomy would strengthen local governance and enhance national security.
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Disclaimer: This report is based on statements by Sam Onuigbo. The call for local government autonomy aligns with ongoing legal and policy discussions in Nigeria.
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