The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has urged the federal government to immediately withhold funds meant for local governments across the country, accusing state governors of undermining the financial autonomy of council chairmen. This demand follows the recent Supreme Court ruling granting full financial independence to Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo raised the alarm over what it describes as an “egregious affront” to Nigeria’s democracy, alleging that state governors are using their authority to hijack resources meant for grassroots development. The group’s factional Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, in a statement released on Sunday and made available to The Trumpet, called on the federal government to take immediate steps to halt this manipulation.
The statement condemns the governors’ actions as a direct assault on local government councils, claiming that they are depriving the councils of their rightful resources. “These actions degrade our democracy and violate the rights of the Nigerian people,” Isiguzoro stated. He expressed disappointment at the ongoing disregard for the Supreme Court’s ruling, which was intended to empower local governments financially and administratively.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo specifically criticized Anambra State’s recent “Local Government Administration Law 2024,” which it claims was designed to force local governments to remit federal allocations into state-controlled accounts. The group called out Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, urging him to withdraw the law immediately or face dire consequences in his bid for re-election in 2025.
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The statement also warned that continued interference by governors could lead to long-term damage to local government operations across Nigeria. Ohanaeze Ndigbo called on the federal government to impose penalties on governors who engage in such practices, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to withhold local government allocations from any state that refuses to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo urged Nigerians to rise in solidarity against the “reckless excesses” of state governors, calling for a collective demand for accountability. The group reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the principles of democracy, transparency, and good governance, urging all citizens to join in the fight to protect local government autonomy.
