‘It Can’t Work,’ Fayemi Rejects LG Autonomy

• Former Ekiti Governor Fayemi criticized local government autonomy as an aberration, arguing it contradicts Nigeria’s federal system and promotes unitarianism
• He expressed concern over youth despondency in Nigeria, warning that neglecting their issues could lead to significant instability if unaddressed

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has labelled Local Government autonomy as an aberration and contradiction within Nigeria’s federal system. This statement follows the Supreme Court’s recent landmark judgment granting financial autonomy to the country’s 774 local government councils. The court ordered the Federal Government to directly pay local government funds into their exclusive accounts, following a suit filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, against the 36 state governors over alleged local government fund misconduct.

Fayemi, speaking at the launch of a leadership and economic summit by St. Racheal’s People Consulting, “Economic Prosperity—Secrets of Audacious Leaders,” expressed his belief that the federal government’s legal victory does not address Nigeria’s core socio-economic and security issues. He criticized the move pushing Nigeria towards unitarianism, asserting that states should manage local government operations.

The former governor argued that calling local government the third tier of government is a “misnomer and aberration,” stating, “We cannot return to a unitary state. But unfortunately, we are gradually returning to a unitary form of government even though it is being dressed up as restructuring.”

He added, “The president is a federalist and a leader in my party. We share quite a lot in common, but I do not know any federal entity anywhere in the world where the federal government becomes the driver of what happens in the local government. It does not happen anywhere in the world, and the Nigerian Constitution, in Section 2, clearly states that Nigeria is a federation of the federal (central government) and the state. It is not three-tier.”

Fayemi pointed out that in federal systems like those in India, the US, Canada, or Australia, the states or provinces determine the number of local authorities based on their needs.

Additionally, Fayemi highlighted the growing youth despondency in Nigeria as a significant threat to the country’s stability if not addressed. He urged leaders to be visionary and resolute in implementing reforms beneficial to the populace, stating, “Leadership is sacrifice. We don’t treat leadership as a sacrifice in Nigeria. We must do things differently if we want this country to go the right way.”

He warned of the potential consequences of neglecting youth concerns, saying, “The time bomb is ticking. We will run into a major problem if we don’t address this feeling of hopelessness, particularly among the youth and people. We all must contribute to leadership to build a transformed society—it isn’t just the president and the governors.”