By Ayomide Otitoju
Former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has argued that genuine local government autonomy is unrealistic under Nigeria’s current constitutional framework.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Saturday, Fashola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former federal minister, said the structure of the Constitution inherently places local governments under state oversight.
“As it stands today, it is unrealistic to expect autonomy for local governments created by the Constitution,” Fashola said. “Laws governing local government operations are made by state assemblies. That is not autonomy.”
He added that key assets like land—essential for LG projects—are controlled by state governments, limiting the independence of councils.
Fashola cited Section 162 of the Constitution, which provides for a joint state-local government account, as evidence that autonomy was never the original intent. He also pointed to the poor track record of local councils in paying salaries and pensions prior to 1999 as a justification for state supervision.
On the recent Supreme Court ruling granting financial independence to local councils and banning their dissolution by governors, Fashola said the decision had generated mixed legal opinions.
“Council elections are a step in the right direction,” he added, “but until we resolve the contradiction between oversight and autonomy in the Constitution, full independence will remain elusive.”
