LG autonomy: Atiku hails Supreme Court verdict, says it’s a win for Nigerians

By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last year’s general election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has described yesterday’s judgment of the Supreme Court affirming fiscal autonomy to local government councils in the country as a win for the people of Nigeria.
Atiku said this in a statement on Thursday by his Media office in Abuja.
The court’s ruling, the former Vice President pointed out, is a step in the right direction and a major corrective action in greasing the wheels of national development across the country.
He maintained that the decision by the Federal Government to consolidate disbursements of local councils’ revenues into the state government accounts was a decision that was borne out of politics of hasty compromise.
According to him, “The judgment of the Supreme Court earlier today (yesterday), affirming fiscal autonomy to local government councils in the country is a win for the people of Nigeria.
“The court’s ruling is a step in the right direction and a major corrective action in greasing the wheels of national development across the country.
“The decision by the Federal Government to consolidate disbursements of local councils’ revenues into the state government accounts was a decision that was borne out of politics of hasty compromise.
“I align with the decision of the Supreme Court that the structure of the Nigerian government is portioned in three layers, and of these, the local governments should be centres of development.
“I also share the belief that fiscal autonomy to the local governments should not be limited to revenues from the Federation Accounts, but indeed, should apply to Internally Generated Revenue from the respective local government authorities.
“Many of our states, especially those in the ultra urban areas with high density economic activities, have become notorious in muscling local councils from generating revenue on items that border on motor parks, outdoor advertising, rents and many more”, he said.
Atiku insisted that the verdict is in tandem with the core functions of the Supreme Court as an arbitration court between and among governments.