Nigerian Government Urged to Withhold Funds from States that Fail to Conduct Credible Local Elections
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to take immediate action to ensure that states that have failed to conduct credible local government elections do not receive federal allocations. The organization has urged the President to direct the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Olawale Edun, to withhold these funds until the necessary elections are held.
The call comes as most states in Nigeria have yet to conduct local government polls, despite the fact that some states, including Rivers, Benue, Akwa Ibom, and Jigawa, held elections on October 5. SERAP has described the actions of some state governors as wrong and has urged the President to take decisive action to ensure that public funds are not misused.
In a statement, SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare said, "Your government has the obligation to enforce the Nigerian Constitution and to prevent public wrong, including by state governors. A democratically elected local government council does not and should not exist at the pleasure, whims and caprice of governors or their political godfathers."
The organization has also urged the President to publish details of the number of local government councils that have directly received federal allocations and whether these councils are democratically elected. This is in accordance with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and a Supreme Court judgment of July 11, 2024.
SERAP’s call has sparked concerns about the accountability of public funds and the need for transparent and democratic governance in Nigeria. The organization’s demand for the President to withhold funds from states that fail to conduct credible local elections is seen as a critical step towards ensuring that public funds are used for the benefit of the people and not for personal gain.
As the Nigerian government weighs its response to SERAP’s call, the international community is watching closely. The country’s commitment to democratic governance and transparency will be put to the test as it navigates this critical issue.
