Nigerians, prepare for a constitutional showdown.
Almost nine months after the Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling granting full autonomy to Nigeria’s 774 local government areas (LGAs), a new storm is brewing, state governors are openly resisting compliance, placing grassroots democracy and development on life support.

An investigation by Oblong Media has uncovered a coordinated effort by several governors to block local governments from opening accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), a critical step toward receiving federal allocations directly, as mandated by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court’s Ruling: A Milestone Ignored

In a historic judgment hailed as a victory for constitutionalism and decentralization, the apex court ruled that federal allocations must be paid directly into LGA accounts without interference from state governments. The Federal Government followed up with the establishment of an inter-agency panel, which directed the CBN to open operational accounts for every LGA to facilitate this process.

However, while Delta State has complied, submitting details for its 25 LGAs, 35 other states have stalled, citing bureaucratic bottlenecks. The real obstacle? Political sabotage by governors.

Governors Dig In: The Anatomy of Resistance

Sources from within several state houses confirm that many governors are issuing verbal threats and political ultimatums to council chairmen, warning them not to open CBN accounts under any circumstances.

A local government chairman from the South-East, who spoke under condition of anonymity, shared a disturbing revelation:

“We proposed a compromise, open CBN accounts but remit 50% of the allocations back to the state. The governor rejected even that. He told us outright: don’t dare open that account.”

Another chairman from the South-West added:

“The CBN wants two months of account statements, but we don’t even have real access to our existing accounts. Everything is controlled from the state treasury.”

The Stakes: Power, Control, and Grassroots Development

Why this resistance?

Control of local government funds has long been a political goldmine for governors, a tool used to reward loyalists, fund cronies, and manipulate elections. True autonomy would end this pipeline of patronage, stripping governors of unchecked influence at the grassroots.

But beyond power dynamics, the cost of this delay is enormous:

Rural roads remain impassable

Primary schools rot in disrepair

Health centers lack drugs, staff, and electricity

Local youth job creation programs remain unfunded

Simply put: without local government autonomy, grassroots development is dead on arrival.

Legal Reform Meets Political Sabotage

Efforts by top federal officials, including the former Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, and Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to push for implementation have hit a wall—not just of administrative inertia, but of illegality.

FreeThe774

In some states, local councils are run by caretaker committees, not democratically elected officials—a direct violation of the constitution and a convenient loophole for governors to retain control.

The Way Forward: Constitutional Compliance or Political Crisis

As citizens, we must not remain passive in the face of this subversion. If governors can defy the Supreme Court and hijack funds meant for LGAs, what else will they do?

We demand:

1. Immediate publication of the 774 LGAs that have submitted CBN account details.
2. Public audit of federal allocations and their disbursement history per LGA.
3. Federal enforcement of Supreme Court compliance, including sanctions against errant governors.
4. A nationwide campaign to mobilize citizens to demand local autonomy, because real democracy begins at the ward level.

Ultimately: Autonomy Is Not a Favour, It’s a Right

Local governments are the closest tier to the people, responsible for education, sanitation, healthcare, and rural infrastructure. Yet, for decades, they’ve functioned as mere extensions of state executive power, stripped of the authority and funding to serve their people.

The Supreme Court has spoken.

The Constitution is clear.

Now, it is time for Nigerians to raise their voices and defend the soul of grassroots democracy.

Because when LGAs are free, development flows.
And when they’re not, poverty festers and injustice prevails.

http://www.oblongmedia.net