President Bola Tinubu has been urged by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, or SERAP, to withhold funds from states that have not had legitimate local government elections.
Afripost.ng had reported that several states, including Rivers, Benue, Akwa Ibom, and Jigawa, had local government elections on October 5.
Nonetheless, the majority of states continue to receive funding for their separate local councils and have not yet held local government elections.
Disappointed by the turn of events, SERAP called certain state governors’ actions incorrect.
SEEAP requested that Tinubu order Olawale Edun, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, to immediately withhold federal funds from states that have either failed or refused to hold legitimate local government elections in a statement released on Sunday by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare.
Additionally, the organisation requested that the President make sure that no other group or institution receives funding from the Federation Account other than democratically elected local government councils.
SERAP requested that the President release information on the number of local government councils that have received direct federal funding as well as whether or not the councils are democratically elected, as required by the Supreme Court’s ruling on July 11, 2024, and by the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended).
“Your government has the obligation to enforce the Nigerian Constitution and to prevent public wrong, including by state governors.
“A democratically elected local government council does not and should not exist at the pleasure, whims and caprice of governors or their political godfathers.
“Your government also has the constitutional obligation to ensure accountability for the spending of federal allocations and immediate compliance with the judgment by the Supreme Court and the rule of law,” SERAP said.
