“It is Lack of Respect for 1999 Constitution”: Ogun Lawmaker Knocks Soludo, Reason Emerges

Hon. Olajumoke Shaqiru Victor, the lawmaker representing Ward 13 at the Abeokuta South local government in Ogun State, has kicked against the executive bill by Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra state, mandating the local government chairmen to remit part of their allocation to the state account.

Victor, who spoke with Legit.ng in an exclusive interview on local government autonomy, kicked against any move by any governor to corner the ruling of the Supreme Court or the 1999 constitution, which advocated the independence of the local governments.

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According to the lawmaker, the move by the governor is a lack of regard for the people at the grassroots and it water-downs the efforts to bring government nearer to the people. He said it prevented the people from getting the dividend of democracy and the independence of the local governments.

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His statement reads:

“I think it’s a lack of respect for the 1999 constitution and also for the Supreme Court which is the highest level of judiciary in the country, for any state government to mandate local government to refund allocations to the state purse. It is a lack of total regard for the people at the local level who have entrusted state governments to look out for their welfare.

“One of the ways of getting the dividends of democracy is allowing the local government to run independently, just so we can have government officials closer to the people and give them the desired service required. It is wrong after the ruling by the Supreme Court for any state government to order local governments to refund allocations to the state purse.”

Is Anambra law against LG autonomy?

In October 2024, Governor Soludo’s executive bill titled “Anambra State Local Government Administration Bill, 2024” to the Anambra State House of Assembly was passed and subsequently enacted into law.

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The law empowered the state government to deduct from the funds specifically meant for the local government into a central account which would be under its control.

Source: Legit.ng