Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has commended the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment granting fiscal autonomy to local government councils across Nigeria.
In a statement released on Thursday, Atiku described the ruling as “a win for the people of Nigeria” and a significant step towards decentralizing power.
The Supreme Court’s decision overturns the previous practice of consolidating local council revenues into state government accounts, which Atiku criticized as “politics of hasty compromise.” He expressed his support for the ruling, stating that local governments should be centers of development, and advocated for expanded fiscal autonomy beyond Federation Account allocations.
Atiku also raised concerns about state governments interfering with local councils’ revenue generation, particularly in urban areas. He praised the Supreme Court’s role in upholding the constitution and ensuring the core functions of local governments are protected.
The Supreme Court’s judgment declared that it is unconstitutional for state governors to hold funds allocated for local government administrations, and that the 774 local government councils should manage their funds themselves. The court emphasized that power is
