Onanuga, while reacting to the apex court’s ruling, also advised state govs not to consider the pronouncement as an affront
By Kehinde Okeowo
Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu has taken to social media to back the decision of the Supreme Court to grant full autonomy to local governments.
Taking to his official X handle on Thursday, he urged governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Babagana Zulum (Borno) and other state leaders to comply with the verdict of the apex court
His tweet followed the Supreme Court judgement, which granted financial autonomy to the local governments in the country.
The judges in a landmark ruling ordered all state governors to henceforth steer clear of the funds meant for the 774 local government areas of the country.
They also mandated that all LGAs should henceforth receive their monthly allocations directly into their accounts.
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Reacting to the judgement, Onanuga advised state governors in Nigeria not to consider the pronouncement as an affront.
He tweeted: “The Nigerian state governors should not see the Supreme Court judgement granting financial autonomy to the local councils as an affront.”
Posting a photo of Sanwo-Olu, Zulum and other governors, Onanuga added: “The governors must allow the councils to breathe and flourish again. It is in their best interest to ensure that the judgement is fully implemented in their domains.”
He further pointed out that although local government is a crucial tier of government, state governors have undermined and made them ineffective in the past 25 years.
“The local council is a very important third tier of government, and its emasculation by the governors in the last 25 years has been at the root of the poverty and insecurity we have all over our country,” he also said.
