By Oluwadamilare S. O.
The debate over Local Government autonomy should not continue to be reduced to a matter between state governments and their councils. Two years after the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment directing that allocations due to democratically elected local governments be paid directly to them, full implementation remains an unresolved national issue.
The Federal Government and the National Assembly therefore have important questions to answer. While the National Assembly has a legislative role in strengthening the legal and constitutional framework for effective local government autonomy, the Federal Government and its relevant institutions have responsibilities in implementing and enforcing existing laws and court decisions.
Reports in 2026 indicate that local government allocations have continued to pass through existing structures, despite the Supreme Court judgment.
This is also where Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, as a member of the National Assembly, should be asked to explain his contribution to the legislative discussions and efforts surrounding Local Government autonomy.
If the objective is genuine financial and administrative independence for the third tier of government, Nigerians deserve clarity on what legislative and executive steps remain outstanding and why implementation has taken so long.
The situation in Oyo State should equally be examined on its own facts rather than through blanket political accusations. Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration has continued to operate Local Governments within the existing state structure, while council administrations remain responsible for grassroots programmes and projects.
Oyo State’s Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, for instance, currently publishes a Local Government National Chart of Accounts for 2026, showing that the councils operate within a formal financial framework.
Ultimately, the Local Government autonomy debate should move beyond partisan blame. The central question is simple: after the Supreme Court’s 2024 judgment, what specific legal, administrative and institutional steps are still required to ensure that democratically elected Local Governments can directly control the funds constitutionally due to them?
That is a question the Presidency, National Assembly, state governments and other relevant institutions should answer transparently.
