SERAP to Tinubu: Withhold allocations to states without credible LG polls

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked President Bola Tinubu to withhold allocations to states that have failed to conduct credible local government elections.

On October 5, elections were held at the grassroots level in some states like Rivers, Benue, Akwa Ibom, and Jigawa. Most states, however, are yet to conduct local government polls and still collect money from the federal allocations for their respective local councils.

Displeased by the development, the group described the actions of some state governors as wrong.

In a statement on Sunday, SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, specifically urged Tinubu to “direct Mr. Olawale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, to immediately withhold federal allocations to states that have failed and/or refused to conduct credible local government elections, and to ensure that any allocations from the Federation Account are paid only to democratically elected local government councils and no other body or institution.”

Oluwadare urged the President to provide “details of the number of local government councils that have directly received federal allocations and whether the councils are democratically elected, as provided for by the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and ordered by the Supreme Court in its judgement of 11 July 2024.”

“Your government has the obligation to enforce the Nigerian Constitution and to prevent public wrongs, including by state governors,” he said.

“A democratically elected local government council does not and should not exist at the pleasure, whims, and caprice of governors or their ‘political godfathers.’

“Your government also has the constitutional obligation to ensure accountability for the spending of federal allocations and immediate compliance with the judgement by the Supreme Court and the rule of law.

“Local government councils are entitled to direct payments from the Federation Account to promote good governance, people’s welfare, and the development of local government areas across the country.

“Where the rule of law reigns, political expediency ought to be sacrificed on the altar of the rule of law to guarantee the continued existence of institutions created to promote social values of liberty, orderly conduct, and development.

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.

“It will be entirely consistent with the rule of law to immediately withhold federal allocations to states that have failed and/or refused to conduct local government elections and to ensure that any allocations from the Federation Account are paid only to democratically elected councils and no other body or institution.”