Governance

Presidency Says Direct Federal Allocations to LGs Starts End of January

By Web News 354

The Presidency has announced that starting from the end of January, local government areas across Nigeria will begin receiving their allocations directly from the Federal Allocation Account Committee (FAAC), marking a significant step towards local government autonomy.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, made this disclosure during an interview on Arise News on Thursday night.

He reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to implementing the Supreme Court’s landmark July 2024 judgment, which declared state control over local government funds unconstitutional.

In a unanimous decision delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agbim, the apex court ruled that allocations to local governments should either be paid directly or through states.

However, given the ineffectiveness of the latter, the court mandated direct payments to local councils.

The judgment followed a suit filed by the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), advocating for the financial autonomy of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.

Despite the ruling, implementation had been delayed to ensure proper mechanisms were in place. Dare confirmed that these arrangements are now complete, paving the way for local governments to begin receiving funds directly by the end of January.

“We have a President who ensures local government autonomy. I spoke to a local government chairman, who said, ‘Oh, I will be getting N2.9bn, instead of the N200m I was getting before’.

“From the end of this month, LG will receive the money directly,” Dare explained.

Dare also called for greater scrutiny of state and local government financial management. “One state collected N499 billion last year—nearly four times its previous allocation—yet there’s little to show for it,” he noted.

He stressed that while the Federal Government often faces criticism, attention must also shift to how states and local governments utilize their resources.

“The framers of our constitution created the three tiers of government for a reason. It’s time to hold states and local governments accountable,” Dare added.

Vanguard/Oluwayemisi Owonikoko

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Politics

Tenure of LG Caretaker Committees Extended in Osun

By Web News 390

By Mojisola Oladele 

Osun State House of Assembly has extended the tenure of local government Caretaker Committee members by six months in line with the request of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The extension was a sequel to the reports made available to the legislators that the Caretaker Committee members were doing well,

The decision was also in line with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and to ensure there is no vacuum in the third tier of Government.

In separate contributions during a deliberation on the letter received from The Governor, legislators including Mr Abiola Awoyeye, Mr Kanmi Ajibola, Mr Olumide Fatunmise and Mr Olujimi Asagade affirmed the good works being carried out by the Caretaker Committee Members in their Local Governments, Councils, Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs and Area Councils across the state, both seen and reported. 

The tenure of the Caretaker Committee members which expired was extended following a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Mr Adewunmi Kofoworola and seconded by Member Representing, Ilesa West State Constituency, Mr. Olawale Akerele.

Prince Egbedun congratulated the Caretaker Chairmen, Vice Chairmen, Secretary and members and wished them a successful tenure.

The next six months therefore span from the 17th of February, 2024, to the 16th of August, of the same year.

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Politics

House Impeaches Ijebu East LG Chairman

By Web News 371

By Oluwatoyin Adegoke 

The suspended Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State, Mr Wale Adedayo has been impeached. 

House Leader for the Local Government, Mr Fasheyi Akindele who announced this in a statement explained that 5 out of 11 Councilors at the sitting had supported the impeachment move, while 4 voted against it and one person declined to vote. 

Mr Akindele explained that the impeachment was based on the outcome of investigations on cases of financial misappropriation and diversion of council funds, among other allegations leveled against Mr Adedayo.

The House leader claimed that the suspended chairman had confirmed before the Councilors that he diverted federal allocations for purposes other than what the state government approved. 

He said the impeached Chairman was also issuing illegal levies and stickers to commercial transport operators in the council area and had spent council funds till August 2023, instead of March 2023 deadline approved in the budget.  

Reacting to his impeachment, Mr Adedayo maintained that the councilors were doing the bid of the state government aimed at punishing him for raising the alarm that the federal allocation belonging to Ijebu East Local Government was being diverted.

Mr Adedayo noted that had done his duty by calling the attention of relevant quarters to the issues hindering the council authorities from making impacts, adding that other decisions on the matter would be made by the courts.

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News

Osun Assembly Extends Tenure Of LG, LCDA Caretaker Committee

By Web News 638

Osun House of Assembly has extended the tenure of Local Government and Local Council Development Administration caretaker management committees for a period of six months.

The Caretaker Management Committee whose tenure is expected the expire on 12th January, 2022 has now been extended to 12th July 2022.

The Committee led by its Chairman, Mr Babatunde Komolafe, after diligent scrutiny, laid its report before the House during its plenary.

Earlier in a Remark, The Speaker of the House, Mr Timothy Owoeye had received an Audit report of Osun State College of Education, Ila Orangun which he then committed to the house committee on Public Accounts for a thorough investigation.

Mr Owoeye congratulated the State Governor, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola and members of his team, the judiciary as well as the Entire State on the occasion of Christmas.

Mr Owoeye called on Nigerians especially the Political Class to Emulate the selfless qualities of Jesus Christ to improve the Socio-Economic Development of the Nation. 

Mojisola Oladele

Politics

Update: Ekiti Local Govt Elections Continue

By Web News 737

Reports from the sixteen local government areas and twenty development council areas in Ekiti state indicate the the chairmanship and councillorship elections held today were peaceful.

Our correspondents from across the council areas report that people went about their activities without harassment or intimidation.

Already, voting has ended in many polling units and the ballots are being sorted while voting is about being concluded in other units.

According to the report, few members of the ruling APC came out to vote while members of the other participating parties were not at the polling units to cast their votes.

Bunmi Oluwalana

Politics

Local Government Elections Ongoing In Ekiti

By Web News 715

Elections into local governments and council development areas in Ekiti state are currently ongoing.

Chairmen and councillors of all the sixteen local government and twenty council development areas will be elected.

Radio Nigeria team of correspondents report that the turn -out was very low in Ado, Ikere and some local governments while there are movement of humans and vehicles as against the directive of the State Independent Electoral Commission SIEC.

According to the report, electoral officers and election materials were on ground but not many voters were around to vote.

Security operatives were also scanty at different locations.

Six political parties including the All progressives Congress APC were participating in the election while the main opposition Peoples Democratic party had boycotted the council poll.

Bunmi Oluwalana

Judiciary

Ogun Chief Judge Inaugurates Election Petition Tribunals For Local Government

By Web News 736

The Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu has inaugurated Election Petition Tribunals for the recently concluded Local Government election in the State.

Inaugurating the Election Petition Tribunal at the State High Court complex, Kobape, Abeokuta, Justice Dipeolu explained that the step was to allow opposition parties seek redress over the outcome of the election.

The Ogun state chief judge who implored members of the panels against delay, also encouraged them to discharge their duties in line with the provisions of the law.

The first panel is headed by Mr Akintunde Olurotimi Oyeyinka as the chairman, with Chief Lukman Abiodun Abdullahi and Mrs Olayinka Kukoyi as members.

In the second panel, Otunba Rotimi Onafadeji was appointed as Chairman while Mr Rabiu Olarenwaju Ibrahim and Mrs Adedoyin Adijat Alaba would serve as members.

The opposition parties had expressed worry that the state judiciary failed to set up tribunal more than one week after results of polls were announced.

The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, had swept all the 20 chairmanship and 236 councillors seats in the council polls held on July 24.

Olusegun Folarin

Politics

DIESC Fixes 6th March for Local Government Elections

By Web News 702

The Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC, has scheduled the 6th of March 2021, as the new date for the conduct of Local Government Council Elections in the state.

The DSIEC Chairman Mr. Mike Ogbodu, made this known at a stakeholders meeting in Asaba, aimed at unveiling plans for the forthcoming polls.

Mr. Ogbodu noted the announcement signifies the commencement of pre-election activities, including the conduct of party primaries from December 7th to December 31th 2020.

According to the DSIEC Chairman thirty-four new electoral wards have been created, in addition to the existing four hundred and sixty-six, bringing the total number of electoral wards in the state to five hundred.

Meanwhile, some stakeholders at the meeting including representatives of political parties, security agencies, and civil society organizations called for free and fair elections in the state, devoid of violence.

Oghenero Eghweree

Politics

OYHA Confirms All LG Transition Committees, Secretaries

By Web News 653

The Oyo State House of Assembly, OYHA, has confirmed all Secretaries to the Local Government and members of the transition committee members nominated by the state governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde.

The Speaker, Mr Adebo Ogundoyin confirmed the list after the screening exercise report was presented by the Chairman, Committee on Local Government, Chieftaincy Matters and the lawmaker representing Ibadan South East State Constituency 2, Mr Olusegun Popoola.

In the report presented before the House, none of the 68 Secretaries to the Local Government and 340 transition committee members were rejected by the committee during the screening exercise.

While confirming the list of the nominees, the Speaker, Mr Ogundoyin directed all the caretaker chairmen to inaugurate the confirmed secretaries and members of the committee in their respective local government simultaneously.

Mosope Kehinde