Some Lagos-based legal practitioners have expressed concern over the slow implementation of the Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to local governments, saying the landmark ruling has yet to deliver meaningful impact across many states of the federation.
The lawyers, who spoke in separate interviews on Thursday in Lagos, blamed political interference, executive inaction, and administrative bottlenecks for the continued delay in enforcing the apex court’s decision.
Mr. Kayode Oshiyemi, Principal Partner at Kayode Oshiyemi & Co., described the level of implementation as “zero,” accusing the executive arm of government of failing to enforce the judgment despite securing the victory at the Supreme Court.
“On a scale of one to 10, the implementation of the Supreme Court decision is zero,” Oshiyemi said. “It was the executive arm that took state governments to the apex court and won, but it is now failing to ensure compliance.”
He noted that the Constitution clearly provides for direct allocation of funds to local governments from the Federation Account but alleged that state governors continue to frustrate the development of the third tier of government.
“The Constitution is clear and unambiguous that local governments are entitled to allocations from the Federation Account. However, state governors have become a clog in the wheel of development,” he stated.
Oshiyemi added that the current situation has raised concerns about the supremacy of constitutional provisions and judicial pronouncements.
“Without much ado, the decision of the apex court takes precedence and the executive arm of government should act accordingly,” he said.
He called for a broader constitutional overhaul and restructuring of Nigeria’s federal system to address lingering governance challenges.
Also speaking, Mr. James Adebiyi of Adebiyi Chambers described the judgment as a significant step toward strengthening grassroots governance but said implementation has remained inconsistent across states.
“The judgment was expected to empower local councils to independently execute developmental projects and provide essential services. However, practical implementation has remained a challenge in several states,” Adebiyi said.
He urged the Federal Government and oversight institutions to enforce compliance strictly, recommending sanctions against officials undermining the ruling.
Mrs. Ruth Ojomo also described the judgment as crucial for deepening democracy and improving accountability at the grassroots level. However, she observed that many councils are yet to enjoy full financial independence due to resistance from some state authorities.
According to her, financial autonomy must also be accompanied by transparency and accountability measures to prevent misuse of public funds.
She advocated regular audits of local government accounts and capacity-building programmes for council officials to ensure efficient resource management.
Ojomo further urged the National Assembly and state legislatures to enact supporting laws that would eliminate ambiguities and facilitate full implementation of the judgment.
On his part, Mr. Chris Ayiyi, Principal Partner at Ayiyi Chambers, Apapa, said the constitutional provisions on local government autonomy are already clear, noting that the real problem lies with political actors.
“What needs to be addressed now is the human factor involving political actors,” Ayiyi said. “Let the scorecard be maintained by the opposition and accessibility be granted to everyone to monitor community development at the local government level.”