The National Progressive Hub is using the medium of this press release to salute and commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the supreme court judgement affirming the financial autonomy of local governments in Nigeria. This is no doubt another fulfilled promised of the Renewed Hope Agenda promised the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria during the electioneering process of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This judgement has again confirmed the promise made by the president to give Nigeria back to Nigerians. Truly, this Renewed Hope Administration is a dawn of new era in our democratic system.
As a country governed by constitution, it is important for state actors especially governors to lead by example by upholding the provisions of the constitution at any given time and not when it pleases them. The constitution recognises the local government as the third tier of government and thus, deserves to be given the full authority to exercise such. Our democracy will always be threatened if every power from above is allowed to override the legitimacy of the constitution. It is on record that over 60% of Nigeria\’s population reside in the rural areas, meaning that the local government still remain the closest to the majority of people. This implies that our grassroot deserves to be strengthened.
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The supreme court judgement delivered today the 11th of July, 2024 on the controversial local government autonomy has laid to rest the occasional abuse of power by state governors to at their will dissolve democratically elected local government officers who derived their legitimacy from the people through the ballot. We have seen many cases of state using the state assembly to perpetrate many of these illegalities without consequences. Many of the governors has pocketed their state assemblies into doing their biddings as against the electorates that gave them the mandate. We thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for finally laying this shameful dictatorial act to rest with today\’s judgement.
Over the years, Nigerians have practically given up on the ability and capacity of local government administrators to deliver on their mandates to the people. Local governments in Nigeria have not been able to meet up to the aspirations of the people just because of the excuses of lack of funds. We have seen cases of such in states where state governors withheld local government allocations for months and years just because of differences between them and the local government chairmen in question. All these are obvious rape of our democracy and disregard for the constitution they sworn to uphold and protect.
While we use this opportunity as well to congratulate local government administrators in Nigeria, we are also urging them to make the best of this opportunity given to them by the Renewed Hope Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to have their funds paid to them directly into their accounts without having to be at the mercy of any governor. Thus, this financial autonomy they succeeded in having today shouldn\’t be an avenue to fatten their personal bank accounts but to deliver on their electoral mandates to their people. They should be mindful of the fact that people will ask them more questions now on the utility of their allocations in which no excuse would be genuine anymore. They are therefore expected to make transparency and accountability their watchword.
As a group that has one hundred percent believe in the capacity of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to deliver on his Renewed Hope electoral promises to the people, we use this medium to salute and appreciate the president for this landmark judicial victory he championed for the good people of Nigeria. The many policies of the president so far have vindicated him as a committed, listening and compassionate leader who has the interest of his people at heart.
The National Progressive Hub hereby reiterate our support to the Renewed Hope Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and wish our president more successes as he continues to pilot the affairs of our dear country to a greater heights.
Signed,
*Mr. Salami Taiwo.*
*General Secretary, National Progressive Hub*
