The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend federal allocations to states that have failed to conduct credible local government elections. This comes after elections were held on October 5 at the grassroots level in states such as Rivers, Benue, Akwa Ibom, and Jigawa, while many other states have yet to organize local government polls.
SERAP expressed dissatisfaction with the continued allocation of federal funds to states that have not conducted elections, a practice the organization views as undermining democratic principles. According to SERAP, these allocations are going to unelected councils, which contradicts the Nigerian Constitution and recent court rulings.
In a statement released by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, on Sunday, SERAP urged President Tinubu to instruct the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, to withhold federal allocations from states that fail or refuse to conduct local government elections. SERAP insists that only democratically elected local government councils should receive funds from the Federation Account.
“Allocations should be disbursed only to local governments that have conducted free and fair elections, as mandated by the Nigerian Constitution and reaffirmed by the Supreme Court in its judgment of July 11, 2024,” the statement read.
SERAP also called for transparency from the federal government, urging the President to publish details of local government councils that have directly received federal funds, ensuring that only those democratically elected are benefiting from the national allocation. This request aligns with a broader push to enforce the constitutional mandate for the independence and democratic functioning of local councils across Nigeria.
This move by SERAP reflects growing concerns about the lack of accountability at the grassroots level, where local councils, often run by caretaker committees or unelected officials, continue to receive federal funds. The organization argues that the absence of credible elections hinders the proper functioning of local governments and deprives citizens of their right to choose their representatives.
If SERAP’s recommendations are heeded, it could spark reforms in how federal allocations are distributed, ensuring that only local councils with elected officials benefit, which would reinforce Nigeria’s commitment to democratic governance at all levels. The push to withhold funds may compel states to prioritize local elections and ensure that they are conducted in line with constitutional requirements.
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