A group of stakeholders, led by civil society organizations, staged a peaceful protest on Monday, October 7, at the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa, Ikeja, urging lawmakers to respect the Supreme Court?s judgment on local government autonomy.

The protesters called on the state legislature to stop interfering in the affairs of local councils, asserting that only councillors have the authority to hold local government chairmen accountable.

Shina Loremikan, the national coordinator of the Campaign Against Impunity in Nigeria, spoke on behalf of the protesters, emphasising that the state assembly?s attempt to sanction local government chairmen contradicts the ruling of the Supreme Court.

According to Loremikan, the Supreme Court has ruled that local government autonomy means councillors, not the state assembly, are responsible for disciplining local government chairmen when necessary.

?There is no law except what the law says. The Supreme Court ruled that local governments should be autonomous. This means that if a local government chairman commits an offence, only the councillors, who are part of the local legislative arm, have the authority to sanction or discipline the chairman. The state House of Assembly cannot interfere in this process,? Loremikan explained.

He further criticized the Lagos State Assembly for reportedly issuing queries to local government chairmen, stating that such actions go against the principles of autonomy outlined by the court.

Loremikan compared the situation to the relationship between state governors and the National Assembly, where only the state legislature has the power to address any wrongdoing by the governor, not the federal lawmakers.

Loremikan called for transparency in any public hearings related to local government matters, stressing the importance of public participation in the decision-making process. ?If there is a public hearing today, it must be open to the public. We are part of the public, and we should be allowed to attend and contribute to these discussions, especially when it comes to reminding them of the law,? he added.

The protesters also acknowledged that the Lagos Assembly has concerns regarding some local government chairmen and has placed certain individuals on a ?watch list? for potential sanctions.

However, Loremikan urged the state assembly to forward any allegations or evidence of wrongdoing to the local government councillors for investigation, in line with the Supreme Court ruling.

?We are from different local governments across Lagos, and the state assembly should not dictate the fate of all councils in the state. Doing so would undermine the Supreme Court judgment. Whether we are comfortable with the ruling or not, it stands and must be followed,? Loremikan concluded.

The protest highlights the ongoing struggle for local government autonomy in Nigeria, a cause that has been fought for many years.

The stakeholders insisted that the Lagos State Assembly must comply with the Supreme Court?s decision and respect the independence of local government councils across the state. (The Nation)

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