The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to withhold federal allocations from states that have not conducted credible local government elections.
On October 5, local elections were held in several states, including Rivers, Benue, Akwa Ibom, and Jigawa. SERAP expressed its dissatisfaction with the actions of certain state governors, deeming them inappropriate.
In a statement released by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare on Sunday, SERAP called on President Tonubu to instruct the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Olawale Edun, to immediately withhold allocations to states that have failed to hold credible local government elections.
The organization also requested that the President ensure federal allocations are only distributed to democratically elected local government councils, as mandated by the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended) and reinforced by the Supreme Court’s ruling on July 11, 2024.
SERAP further urged the President to publish details on the local government councils that have received federal allocations, verifying their democratic election status. Many states continue to receive allocations for local councils despite not conducting local government polls.
According to SERAP, ”Your give has the obligation to enforce the Nigerian Constitution and 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 og 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”