The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to withhold federal allocations from states that have failed to conduct credible local government elections.
In a statement on Sunday, SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, urged Tinubu to instruct the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to ensure that funds from the Federation Account are only allocated to democratically elected local government councils. Oluwadare highlighted that some states continue to collect federal allocations for local councils despite not holding elections, which SERAP considers unconstitutional.
“Your government has the obligation to enforce the Nigerian Constitution and prevent public wrongs by state governors,” Oluwadare stated, referencing the Supreme Court’s ruling on July 11, 2024, which upheld the constitutional requirement for elected local councils.
SERAP stressed that local government councils should not be controlled by governors or political figures and demanded transparency regarding which councils are receiving federal allocations. The group also warned of possible legal action if the government does not respond within seven days.
The call comes after some states, such as Rivers, Benue, Akwa Ibom, and Jigawa, held local elections on October 5, while many others are yet to do so. SERAP insists that local governments are entitled to direct federal payments to promote good governance and development at the grassroots level.
