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Rt. Hon. Sam Onuigbo, a former federal lawmaker and the South-East representative on the Governing Board of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as a firm, courageous and timely intervention to ensure the full implementation of local government autonomy across the country.

Onuigbo praised the President’s recent remarks at meetings of the All Progressives Congress National Executive Committee and the party’s National Caucus, noting that they underscored Tinubu’s commitment to grassroots development and national stability. According to him, the President’s consistent position on local government autonomy once again demonstrated his concern for the welfare of ordinary Nigerians and the need to strengthen governance at the lowest level.

He expressed concern that more than ₦4.5 trillion meant for local government councils is allegedly being withheld by state governors, nearly one year after the Supreme Court ruled that allocations to councils must be paid directly from the Federation Account. The landmark judgment, delivered in July 2024, declared it unconstitutional for state governments to continue operating joint state-local government accounts as channels for disbursing federal allocations to councils.

Despite the ruling of the apex court, Onuigbo noted that investigations by a national newspaper revealed that funds meant for the country’s 774 local government councils are still being routed through state governments, a development he said clearly undermines the authority of the Supreme Court and weakens grassroots governance.

The former lawmaker applauded President Tinubu for not only initiating the legal process that led to the historic judgment, but also for backing it up with concrete administrative actions. These, he said, include the constitution of a high-level committee to address implementation challenges and the directive to the Central Bank of Nigeria to open dedicated accounts for all local governments.

“I want to personally and publicly commend Mr. President for remaining dogged and resolute on this matter. Supreme Court rulings are not suggestions; they are final and binding. The President has shown uncommon political will by insisting that funds meant for local governments must get to them directly,” Onuigbo said.

He added that when President Tinubu insisted at party meetings that local government funds must reach the councils directly, he spoke not only as a party leader but as a statesman who understands that Nigeria’s development must begin from the grassroots.

According to Onuigbo, the persistent delay in implementing local government autonomy is largely due to resistance from state governors. He alleged that some governors have even enacted state laws compelling local government chairmen to seek approval before embarking on projects, a move he said further erodes the independence of the councils.

“The bottleneck is clearly with the governors. The federal government has done its part—legally, administratively and politically. What remains is for state governments to respect the Constitution and the Supreme Court judgment,” he stated.

Reflecting on past experiences, Onuigbo recalled that local governments were more effective in the early years of the Fourth Republic, when council chairmen had the freedom to independently execute projects such as rural roads, electrification schemes, markets and youth engagement programmes.

“When local governments are allowed to breathe, they deliver. They know their people, understand local security dynamics and can productively engage youths to curb insecurity. But when their funds are withheld, governance at the grassroots collapses,” he warned.

He further linked the issue of local government autonomy to broader national challenges, including insecurity, youth unemployment and rural underdevelopment. According to him, empowering local councils financially would help reduce social unrest and strengthen community-based governance structures.

While acknowledging existing constitutional hurdles, particularly provisions relating to joint accounts under Section 162 of the Constitution, Onuigbo expressed confidence that the committee set up by the federal government would identify lawful and practical ways to enforce the Supreme Court judgment without breaching constitutional processes.

He also called on Nigerians to play a more active role by demanding transparency and accountability from both local government chairmen and state governors, stressing that citizen engagement remains central to democratic governance.

“The most important office in a democracy is that of the citizen. People must ask questions about how much comes into their local government and how it is used. Once that pressure builds, impunity will give way to accountability,” he said.

Onuigbo also lauded President Tinubu’s broader reform agenda, pointing to improvements in fuel pricing, easing inflationary pressures and emerging signs of economic recovery. He noted that although the administration began under difficult circumstances in 2023, the country is now moving towards a more stable phase.

“The President took off in stormy weather, but today we are approaching a cruising stage. What we need now is consolidation and, most importantly, ensuring that these gains trickle down to the grassroots. Local government autonomy is central to achieving that,” he said.

He expressed optimism that with the majority of governors now belonging to the ruling party, President Tinubu’s directive would be respected and the long-standing obstruction of local government autonomy would finally be resolved.

“I have no doubt that Mr. President will see this through. History will remember him as the leader who restored the local government system and brought governance back to the people,” Onuigbo concluded.