Senate in emergency closed-door session over LG autonomy

The Nigerian Senate is currently in a closed-door session over the implementation of financial autonomy for the 774 Local Government Councils across Nigeria, a ruling delivered by the Supreme Court in August.

The issue came to the forefront during Wednesday’s session when Senator Tony Nwoye of Anambra North, representing the Labour Party, raised alarm over Governor Chukwu Soludo’s alleged plot to undermine the Supreme Court’s ruling by enacting counter-laws through the State Houses of Assembly.

Senator Adamu Aliero supported Nwoye’s motion, stressing that the apex court verdict should be enforced without debate, citing Section 287 of the 1999 Constitution.

Speaking over the development, Senate President Godswill Akpabio acknowledged the need for constitutional amendments to facilitate the implementation of the ruling.

The matter raised dust within the Upper Chamber, with senators divided on how to proceed. While some advocate for stronger measures to enforce the ruling, others expressed carefulness about how to approach the matter legislatively.

This confusion led to a closed-door session.

Recall that the Supreme Court’s judgement mandated that funds meant for LGAs should be paid directly to them from the federation account, reinforcing the need for democratic governance at the grassroot level.

The Senate’s discussions will likely focus on how to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court’s decision and address the concerns raised by various senators regarding the potential circumvention of the ruling by state governments.

However, further details on the outcome of the session are expected to be released later.

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