The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend federal allocations to states that have not held credible local government elections. In an open letter dated October 5, 2024, signed by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP requested that the Minister of Finance withhold these funds, emphasizing that only democratically elected local councils should receive allocations from the Federation Account, as mandated by law.
SERAP has set a seven-day deadline for the federal government to comply or face legal action. The organization requested information regarding which local government councils received federal allocations and whether these councils were elected according to the 1999 Constitution, upheld by a Supreme Court ruling on July 11, 2024.
Moreover, SERAP urged President Tinubu to invite the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to monitor the use of FAAC allocations by elected councils. The organization stressed that enforcing constitutional provisions is essential to preventing public malfeasance, especially by state governors, and insisted that democratically elected councils should not be under the control of state governors or their political allies.
SERAP asserted that local councils are entitled to direct payments from the Federation Account to promote good governance and public welfare. They stated, “Withholding federal allocations to states that refuse to conduct local elections and ensuring funds go only to democratically elected councils aligns with the rule of law.”
Concerns were raised regarding state governors manipulating local elections, with SERAP noting that many are violating Section 7(1) of the Nigerian Constitution by failing to conduct these elections. The organization highlighted serious issues of corruption and mismanagement, claiming that trillions of naira intended for local governments have been misappropriated.
The mismanagement of these funds has dire consequences for vulnerable Nigerians, with millions still facing extreme poverty and lacking essential services. Despite increased FAAC allocations, the government’s removal of petrol subsidies and the naira’s flotation have not improved the security or welfare of citizens. SERAP pointed out that allocations from the Federation Account must be directly disbursed to local governments, without state governors controlling these funds.
The letter highlighted that Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory have collectively received over N40 trillion meant for the country’s 774 local government areas. In November 2023 alone, N225.21 billion was allocated for local governments, with an additional N258.8 billion in December 2023.
