Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has come under scrutiny following his recent signing of a new Local Government Law. The law mandates that all local governments in the state remit a portion of their federal allocations into a consolidated account controlled by the state government. This move has sparked significant controversy, with critics questioning its legality and intent.
Soludo, known for his intellectual prowess, defended the law by stating that granting full autonomy to local governments would lead to administrative chaos, particularly in sectors such as primary education and healthcare. According to him, “Absolute autonomy for local governments would mean that each LG would have its own primary education policy, employ its own teachers, and pay them whenever it can afford to do so.” The governor argues that such a system would be disastrous for the state’s overall governance and service delivery.
However, this defense has not convinced many who see the law as a desperate attempt to retain control over local government funds, a practice the Supreme Court had previously ruled against. The court, in its decision on local government autonomy, clearly stated that local governments should receive and manage their funds independently, without interference from state governments.
Critics argue that Governor Soludo’s new law is a direct attempt to bypass this Supreme Court ruling, allowing the state government to continue controlling local government allocations through a “backdoor” method. Some have even likened the move to what they colloquially refer to as “stealing by style.” The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has highlighted similar cases where state governors were accused of misappropriating local government funds.
Recent events seem to confirm these fears. On September 30, 2024, the EFCC arraigned former Taraba State Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku and a former state official for allegedly diverting local government funds for personal use. This case serves as a reminder of the potential for abuse when state governments have unchecked control over local government resources.
The new Anambra Local Government Law, critics say, could be seen as part of a larger trend among some state governments to retain financial control over local governments, despite court rulings that grant full autonomy to the latter. The move has reignited debates over federalism in Nigeria, with some arguing that Soludo’s stance on local government autonomy is contradictory to his earlier positions on true federalism.
While the governor insists that the law is necessary for maintaining order in local governance, his opponents are calling for a challenge at the Supreme Court. They argue that the law undermines the financial independence of local governments and violates the Supreme Court’s clear directives on the matter.
As tensions rise, it remains to be seen how this controversy will unfold. Will Anambra’s new law be upheld, or will it be struck down as an unconstitutional overreach? One thing is certain: the debate over local government autonomy in Nigeria is far from over.
