Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has emphasized that effective governance at the local government level cannot be achieved without full autonomy. He made the statement on Saturday after casting his vote in the Lagos State local government elections in Surulere.
When asked about the implementation of last yearโs Supreme Court ruling granting autonomy to all 774 local governments in Nigeria, Gbajabiamila described it as a “work in progress” but expressed optimism that full autonomy would eventually be realized.
“The ruling was welcomed by everybody. Itโs the execution and implementation of that ruling that we are still trying to perfect,” he said. “I believe in a matter of time, we will achieve full autonomy. There cannot be effective governance without full autonomy. Thatโs what we are working toward.”
In July 2024, the Supreme Court granted financial and administrative autonomy to local governments following a lawsuit filed by the federal government. However, the judgment has yet to be fully enforced. The Senate had urged state and local governments to comply with the ruling, particularly regarding direct funding to LG accounts. Additionally, lawmakers resolved to amend relevant constitutional provisions to strengthen local government autonomy.
Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau announced the resolution after a closed-door session where legislators discussed attempts by some states to bypass the Supreme Courtโs decision. The move underscores ongoing efforts to ensure grassroots governance operates independently for better service delivery.
