Panic has gripped both the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress in Osun State amid reports that Governor Ademola Adeleke may be planning to leave the PDP for the APC.

According to findings by The Punch, several close associates and appointees of the governor confirmed that Adeleke is close to finalising the defection.

The development has unsettled the APC, prompting a protest against Adeleke on Friday. However, in a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor denied having any such intention.

Speculation about Adeleke’s defection began in June after he paid a visit to President Bola Tinubu at his Bourdillon residence in Lagos.

The governor was accompanied by his brother, billionaire businessman Adedeji Adeleke, and his nephew, Afrobeats artist David Adeleke, also known as Davido.

News of the visit was made public in a post on X by Tinubu’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Dada Olusegun.

Although the purpose of the meeting was not disclosed, the release of photos showing Tinubu and his wife in a warm exchange with the Adelekes triggered tension in both the Osun PDP and APC camps.

The rumour gained renewed attention this week following a series of cryptic posts by some of Adeleke’s aides on social media.

Close associates confirm move, APC ticket offer

Insiders in the governor’s cabinet, including a commissioner and two special advisers, told our correspondents that Adeleke had concluded plans to join the APC.

The commissioner, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said Adeleke had briefed some of his allies in his cabinet and the House of Assembly about his defection plan.

“Mr Governor will join the APC, but the official declaration will not be now. His planned defection is a result of political threats, the Federal Government withheld local government funds, and there are emerging threats to the businesses of his billionaire brother, Dr Deji Adeleke. So, there are many things at stake,” he said.

A senior official of the APC in the state also confirmed that the governor was consulting with APC leaders, but said his fate hangs on Tinubu’s move.

“Adeleke has been consulting many APC leaders. He has employed some mercenaries to lobby the President. But Baba Bisi Akande and Oyetola have not consented to his defection. The President will need to convince them before the governor will declare his defection,” the APC official said on Thursday.

In a symbolic move, the Osun PDP Director of Media and Information, Oladele Bamiji, who is also a Senior Special Assistant to Adeleke, posted “On Your Mandate!” on his Facebook timeline around 5 pm on Thursday.

The slogan is synonymous with Tinubu, having originated from his loyalists in Lagos State.

Bamiji’s post triggered reactions from other Facebook users, including APC members kicking against the move.

One of the governor’s special advisers, who also spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the governor’s apparent uncertainty over the validity of his second-term ticket in the face of the PDP crisis might have triggered his proposed defection.

“INEC has released the timetable for the 2026 governorship election, and the PDP primary is coming up in September. Who is going to sign Adeleke’s nomination form amid the ongoing crisis in the PDP?

“We are all afraid that whatever happens in the PDP regarding the Osun election may be subject to litigation, which may invalidate the governor’s nomination and victory. That is why the governor wants to leave,” the aide said.

Also subtly confirming the move, another SSA to Adeleke, Olalekan Badmus, tweeted on his X handle on Friday: “After we all agreed to this, the next question is where?

“Governor Adeleke is currently consulting and evaluating all options on the table, including the peculiarities of all current political parties. Reports of imminent arrival at a particular party are at best speculative.”

Amid growing confirmation from the governor’s close associates, The Punch gathered that Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and members of the President’s immediate family reportedly facilitated Adeleke’s move to the APC.

Adeleke remains in PDP – Spokesman

Reacting to the defection rumour, the spokesperson for the Osun State Government, Rasheed, said Adeleke remained in the PDP and was not considering joining the APC.

In a statement on Thursday, Rasheed quoted Adeleke as saying, “I assure the good people of Osun that I remain part and parcel of the PDP family. I am not defecting to any party.”

He said the governor reaffirmed his commitment to the implementation of his administration’s five-point agenda and urged the public to disregard what he described as “fake news,” while assuring continued delivery of good governance and democratic dividends.

Also reacting, the National Secretary of the APC, Ajibola Basiru, said the party’s national secretariat was unaware of any defection plan by the Osun governor.

In an interview (with Saturday Punch), Basiru said, “The only thing I can say is that I’m not aware of Adeleke’s so-called planned defection as the National Secretary of the party. All other things are hypothetical for now. I cannot be reacting based on social media frenzy!”

Similarly, the spokesperson for the Osun APC, Kola Olabisi, said the party leadership in the state had no knowledge of any move by Adeleke to join their ranks.

“It is still in the realm of speculation. The leadership of the APC in Osun, led by Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, is not aware of the governor’s defection plan,” he said.

When asked whether the party would welcome Adeleke, Olabisi replied, “Only the leadership of the party will speak on that.”

Panic in APC, PDP camps

Despite official denials, there is palpable tension among members of both the APC and PDP in Osun State.

It was gathered that the development has unsettled many APC members, particularly loyalists of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, who fear that Adeleke’s entry into the APC could jeopardise the chances of their governorship aspirant, Bola Oyebamiji.

On the PDP side, some members have also expressed concern that the party may suffer significant setbacks if Adeleke defects, as the Adeleke dynasty is regarded as the party’s primary financier in Osun State.

It was noted that several APC members took to social media, especially Facebook, to express displeasure over the alleged plan.

A former Special Adviser to ex-Governor Oyetola on Education, Alhaji Jamiu Olawumi, wrote on his Facebook timeline on Thursday, “The Adeleke Challenge! If, as a governor, you have delivered, is it not shameful trying to run away from your own party?”

Another Oyetola loyalist, Adedeji Adebayo, also took to Facebook to criticise APC National Secretary, Basiru, for saying that President Tinubu would determine the APC’s governorship candidate in 2027, rather than speaking out against Adeleke’s rumoured defection.

He wrote, “The Adelekes’ agents in the APC are celebrating, granting media interviews about the phantom defection of the so-called ‘omo-gba-feeder’. Yes, the same omo-gba-feeder. They don’t care if it goes to a dullard since it’s not coming to them. That is the kind of wanton politics they play. Meanwhile, it is what it is: phantom defection. If Obente defects to APC, perhaps it is the APC AISU Chapter.”

‘No automatic ticket for gov’

On Friday, some Osun APC members staged a peaceful protest at the party’s state secretariat in Osogbo, insisting that if Adeleke defects, he should not be given an automatic governorship ticket.

Led by a member of the APC, Taofeek Afolabi, the protesters, mostly youths, said it would be unfair to hand the incumbent governor the party’s ticket without a contest.

“We are members of the All Progressives Congress, and we are here this morning to register our concern over the rumoured defection of Governor Ademola Adeleke to the APC. We are not saying he should not join our party. Adeleke joining the APC will boost our party. He is the current governor, and having him with us will strengthen the party,” Afolabi said.

“However, what we don’t want is the party giving Governor Adeleke an automatic ticket. If he wants to re-contest, he should express interest and contest the gubernatorial ticket with other aspirants.

“There are people who have shown interest in the race already, and we don’t want him to be handed the ticket without a proper contest. That is the only thing we are against. We have no issue with him joining our party,” he added.

PDP, APC chieftains divided

Saturday PUNCH gathered that members of both the PDP and APC remain divided over the governor’s reported defection plan.

While a section of the PDP reportedly supports the move, others have rejected it, insisting they would not follow the governor into another party.

A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Diran Odeyemi, said realignment was part of politics and that there was nothing wrong with adjusting strategies to win elections.

“Politics is dynamic. It’s not like mathematics, where you get a fixed answer to an equation. It’s about permutation here and there. It’s a game that is played according to situations and circumstances, but with the sole purpose of winning,” Odeyemi said.

“Realignment is key in politics, more so because it is a game of interest. There is nothing wrong with redefining a strategy if it is aimed at winning any contest. As for us in the PDP, Governor Ademola Adeleke’s second term is sacrosanct; the way and manner to go about it is secondary.”

Meanwhile, a chieftain of the APC in Osun and an aide to ex-Governor Oyetola, Jamiu Olawumi, maintained that while party membership is a right, acceptance is not automatic.

“Politics and joining a political party are fundamental human rights. Joining a party is a free entry and free exit. However, in some situations, you cannot just join a political party because there are certain criteria for fresh members. If you’re not fit for it, we might not welcome your overtures,” he said.

Olawumi also dismissed the defection report as speculation.

“The highest hierarchy of the party has not spoken about the defection. Everybody is just reacting to rumours — we’ve had both confirmations and denials. This shouldn’t be given serious attention by serious people. In the APC, we are serious people, and we don’t dwell on this kind of unserious speculation. Let it remain in the realm of rumour,” he added.

We’re not worried—APC aspirants

Some governorship hopefuls in the Osun APC has said the defection rumour is not giving them sleepless nights.

One of them, Dotun Babayemi, said the development did not come as a surprise and would not affect his ambition.

Speaking through his spokesperson, Kayode Oladeji, Babayemi stated that Adeleke’s defection would, in fact, be an addition to the APC.

“We are not worried about Governor Ademola Adeleke or anybody coming into our great party, APC. We all know that democracy is a game of numbers. This means it is becoming clear that our party is poised to win in 2026, and President Tinubu’s victory in the 2027 elections shall be resounding,” he said.

“In the same vein, his joining our party cannot jeopardise my chances. My confidence is based on the amazing support and love being shown to me within and outside the APC, across the state, by both the old and the young.

“As to whether it is right for the governor to dump the PDP for the APC, I am not sure that is the real question — because we don’t know what is chasing him from the PDP,” he added.

Similarly, another governorship hopeful, Akin Ogunbiyi, said he was not surprised by Adeleke’s reported defection plan, declaring that the party would win the next governorship election in the state.

“I am not worried that the current governor is struggling to come to the APC. He is a serving governor, and he can come to the APC. Our party is a winning team, and we can all see what is happening at the federal level — what our father, the President, is doing.

“So, I am not surprised that not only in Osun State, but even across other states, people are declaring for the APC because it is a progressive party,” Ogunbiyi said.

PDP senators to dump party

Meanwhile, Saturday PUNCH has gathered that two PDP senators from Osun State, Adenigba Fadahunsi (Osun East) and Olubiyi Ajagunla (Osun Central), have concluded plans to leave the party.

According to aides, both lawmakers met with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa about a month ago, where the decision regarding their defection was finalised.

One of Ajagunla’s top aides, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Ajagunla will leave the PDP soon, there is no doubt about that. The Adeleke dynasty is not treating him well, and our town, Ila-Orangun, has not benefited from the current administration in terms of infrastructure development.

“People know that Ajagunla has left the PDP; he just hasn’t announced his defection officially,” the aide said.

Credit: The Punch

The United States government says its decision to limit most non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to Nigerians to single-entry and a three-month validity is based on “global security standards”, not a retaliatory move.

A statement released by the US Department of State on Tuesday said the updated policy, which took effect on July 8, 2025, applies to new visa issuances and will not affect visas granted before that date.

“U.S. visa criteria and standards are designed to protect the integrity of U.S. immigration systems. These standards are based on global technical and security benchmarks. The U.S. Mission is working with the Government of Nigeria to ensure that Nigeria can meet the criteria,” the statement reads.

The statement explained that visa reciprocity is subject to continuous review and can be adjusted at any time, including changes to the number of permitted entries and visa validity periods.

The new visa policy affects only non-immigrant and non-diplomatic categories, meaning most short-term travelers for business, tourism, and study will now receive visas valid for just three months and for one entry into the US.

The announcement generated mixed reactions with reports linking the move to Nigeria’s stance on third-world deportees.

But a statement by the US mission in Nigeria on Friday said the changes are part of a global effort to align visa policies with security priorities, not a country-specific decision.

“This reduction is not the result of any nation’s stance on third-country deportees, introduction of e-visa policies, or affiliations with groups like BRICS,” the statement reads.

“The reduction in validity is part of an ongoing global review of the use of U.S. visas by other countries using technical and security benchmarks to safeguard U.S. immigration systems.

“We value our longstanding partnership with Nigeria and remain committed to working closely with the Nigerian public and government officials to help them meet those criteria and benchmarks, thereby ensuring safe, lawful, and mutually beneficial travel between our nations.”

Since taking office, US President Donald Trump has signed a flurry of executive orders aimed at deporting millions of “illegal immigrants” — many of whom are asylum seekers — back to their countries of origin.

Diplomatic sources had said Trump has been putting pressure on many countries to serve as temporary homes for asylum seekers until their cases are treated, and this usually takes up to seven years.

A few countries have already received some deportees. However, Nigeria has refused to be part of the arrangement. Discussions took place but were unsuccessful owing to Nigeria’s unwillingness to accept non-citizens, many of whom had a number of years left to finalise their asylum applications.

The sources said Nigeria’s refusal to accept asylum seekers from the United States is partly responsible for the recent visa restrictions.

Exactly one year after the Supreme Court granted full autonomy to Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, the Federal Government continues to route allocations through state governments.

An analysis by The Punch reveals that state governors have retained control over council funds amounting to N4.5tn, in defiance of the historic ruling that mandated direct disbursement of funds to local governments.

On July 11, 2024, the Supreme Court declared that local governments should receive their allocations directly from the Federation Account, ruling that the previous practice of passing funds through state governments was unconstitutional.

Following the verdict, the Federal Government set up an inter-agency committee to enforce the decision and instructed the Central Bank of Nigeria to create dedicated accounts for each of the 774 local government councils to enable direct payments.

But one year later, findings by The Punch indicate that the directive remains largely unimplemented.

Allocations to local governments are still being funneled through state governments, with the process hampered by delays and disagreements involving the Central Bank, state governments, local council authorities, and other stakeholders.

Data from the Federation Account Allocation Committee shows that between July 2024 and June 2025, a total of N4.496tn was allocated to local government councils.

This represents 24.87 per cent of the N18.074tn shared among the three tiers of government over the 12-month period.

According to the monthly communiqués released by FAAC, N337.02bn was allocated to LGs in July 2024, N343.70bn in August, N306.53bn in September, N329.86bn in October, and N355.62bn in November.

In December, local governments received N402.55bn, followed by N361.75bn in January 2025, N434.57bn in February, and N410.56bn in March.

Subsequent allocations included N387bn in April, N406.63bn in May, and N419.97bn in June.

Although the percentage of the total allocation going to local governments has remained steady, ranging between 24 and 25 per cent each month, the method of disbursement continues to breach the Supreme Court’s judgment.

An official at the Office of The Attorney General of the Federation, told The PUNCH that the AGF had done his bit, stating that the FG set up a committee to work on ensuring that the LGs were granted full autonomy.

Our source said, “The Attorney General is not the one in charge of disbursing of funds. The implementation committee raised by the Federal Government is chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. AGF is just a member there and he is not even the secretary. The Minister of Finance is there.

“The AGF has already gone to court and won the case and the moratorium, which was given to the governors before, was for them to conduct their local government elections, which I think all of them have complied with.

“The committee that was raised, ALGON is part of it, Labour is part of it. Those are the people to direct some of these questions to.”

The General Secretary of the Association of Local Governments Employees, Muhammed Abubakar, while speaking with The PUNCH on Thursday evening said the association was patiently waiting on the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to give updates on the documents submitted to President Bola Tinubu.

According to Abubakar, Tinubu listened to the concerns of the governors and mandated the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) to work on the bottlenecks affecting the implementation of the judgment.

“No one has gone quiet. The process is still ongoing. The governors had some concerns and the President gave a listening ear to the governors. The President then mandated the SGF and AGF to work on the bottlenecks and concerns raised by the governors. They have communicated it to the Presidency. We are just waiting for the SGF to share updates on whether the President has received all the details.”

Confirming the delay in implementing the court ruling, the Gombe State, NLC chairman, Yusuf Bello, said nothing has changed nationwide.

He noted that appointed chairmen still lacked control over funds, while autonomy remained elusive.

According to him, only local government elections conducted by the FG can bring meaningful change and improve grassroots governance.

He said, “Does any chairman have the right to touch the money? It’s still pocketed, it’s the same scenario all over the nation.”

A source at the NULGE Gombe office under anonymity said that the challenge of implementation is nationwide.

He said, “I can confirm that all paper works have been completed. Implementation is not only a Gombe issue, it’s nationwide. Gombe is not one of the states where the executive puts eyes on the resources each LGA is allowed to spend freely.”

It was also gathered that the 16 LGs in Kwara State were yet to open accounst with the CBN.

The Chairman, NULGE, Kwara chapter, Seun Oyinlade, disclosed this in a telephone conversation with Punch correspondent in Ilorin on Tuesday.

“The local government chairmen are yet to open accounts with the CBN.”

Chairman of the state branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Saheed Olayinka said he was not aware that the LGs had opened the CBN account, adding that the accounts might be opened this month.

It was further gathered that the 44 LGs in Kano State were yet to comply with the directive of the CBN on the opening of accounts at the apex bank.

A reliable source at the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The PUNCH, “To my knowledge, none of the 44 councils in the state has opened accounts with the CBN.

“We heard that the apex bank has opened an account for each of the local governments and what remains is to regularise the accounts, which is yet to be done,” the source said.

Our source accused the local government council chairmen and the NULGE officials of not making moves or efforts to ensure that the councils opened the accounts as directed by the apex bank because of what he described as personal benefits.

The Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, confirmed that local governments in the state were yet to begin receiving statutory allocations directly from the FG.

He described the issue as national, adding that most northern states had not completed the internal requirements needed for full compliance, including setting up LG service commissions.

Waiya said Kano has made progress by establishing its own commission, chaired by Malam Ibrahim Jibrin.

He added that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf had granted LGs autonomy to manage resources independently.

The Chairman, NULGE, Bayelsa State, Comrade ThankGod Singer, says states and local government councils all over Nigeria operated the Joint Account Allocation Committee.

Singer said several local government councils were yet to open dedicated accounts with the CBN but added that there was no problem in Bayelsa as the state government and the local government councils sat at JAAC to manage the allocations.

“JAAC is still being operated all over the country and here in Bayelsa State, we have no problem. Salaries are being paid, projects are going on and the state government is assisting the local governments in the payment of teachers’ salaries,” he stated.

According to The Punch, Benue State Government was yet to comply with the Supreme Court ruling.

Despite public claims by the government that autonomy had been implemented, findings by our correspondent indicated otherwise, with several local government chairmen in the state dismissing such claims as false and misleading.

Three council chairmen, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the administration’s declaration of local government autonomy was a mere facade.

One chairman from Benue North East expressed disappointment with the recent statement by the state ALGON chairman, Maurice Orwourgh, who claimed that local councils in the state operated autonomously.

He stated, “If autonomy truly exists, why does the state government still allocate us N10m monthly as security votes? The least LGs receive is N385m monthly from federal allocation—why do we need state subvention?”

Another chairman from Benue North West lamented that none of the 23 LGAs has executed any meaningful project since the current administration came on board.

“Not even a culvert has been constructed,” he said, describing the government’s position as lip service.

From Benue South, a chairman linked the denial of LG funds to rising insecurity.

“What can N10m do as security vote in a month? It can’t even cover fuel costs,” he said.

Former governor Samuel Ortom also criticised the incumbent Governor Hyacinth Alia for flouting the Supreme Court judgment.

In a statement issued through his media adviser, Terver Akase, Ortom questioned why the governor is still controlling council finances, despite the court’s directive.

“That none of the 23 LGAs has constructed even a single culvert shows how starved they are of their funds,” he said.

The NULGE in Nasarawa State said the 13 LGs in the state had long opened their accounts, and ready to receive direct allocation from the FG.

The chairman of NULGE in the state, Adamu Sharhabilu, however, noted that the local councils were yet to receive their allocations directly from the FG.

He said, “At the moment, there are currently no obvious plans by the Nasarawa State government to shortchange the local government workers or frustrate the LG Autonomy implementation in the state.

“I can inform you that Governor Abdullahi Sule has been expressing his commitment to work towards ensuring that local government workers get what is due to them and also enjoy all the benefits of the LG autonomy.

“However, the FG has not given the LGs a single Kobo in Nasarawa. The money has always been sent to the joint accounts. No local government has received funds directly from the Federation Account.”

The Bauchi State chapter Chairman of NULGE, Muhammad Yunusa, said despite the Supreme Court’s judgment, local governments in the state have also not been able to open bank accounts with CBN.

He explained that the union was working tirelessly to ensure the implementation of the judgment.

“The union has submitted a memorandum to the Senate and plans to do the same with the House of Representatives, all on the matter.”

Also, the Jigawa State NLC chairman, Sanusi Maigatari, said LGs in the state had been receiving their funds from federal allocation prior to the apex court order.

However, he couldn’t shed light on whether the LGs had opened bank accounts with the CBN for direct allocation reception.

Maigatari advised the state government to fill gaps necessary for enhancement of financial and administrative autonomy of LGs for state development.

On his part, the NULGE chairman in Jigawa, Abubakar Shitu, echoed similar sentiments, stating that the state had almost achieved 95 per cent LG autonomy.

“Unlike in some other places, here in Jigawa, we don’t have issues with LG financial autonomy but administrative autonomy,” he said.

He highlighted some deductions made by the state government, including two per cent contribution to Sule Lamido University and one per cent to the state Local Government Service Commission, which he clarified were duly recognised by the law of the state.

“These deductions include 2.5 per cent for the Ministry of Local Government. Despite these deductions, Jigawa State LGs seem to be functioning relatively autonomously,” he stated.

Shitu also emphasised that the problem with LG autonomy lied with the FG, citing the lack of a Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment.

However, while other LGs lament the delay in implementation of the ruling, the Adamawa State Chairman, ALGON, and Chairman, Toungo LG, Suleiman Gankuba, confirmed to The PUNCH that councils received federal allocations directly from the FG.

“Governor Ahmadu Fintiri granted local governments autonomy before the Supreme Court judgment, so for us in Adamawa, councils’ autonomy is not a new issue to us,” he said.

The state’s Commissioner of Finance, Augustina Wandamiya, told The PUNCH, “Adamawa is the first state to implement local autonomy without waiting for the Supreme Court judgment because Governor Fintiri believes in the rule of law and separation of powers,” she said.

SANs fault non-implementation

Some of Nigeria’s most prominent constitutional lawyers have faulted the continued disregard for the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government autonomy, one year after the landmark judgement was delivered.

Senior Advocates of Nigeria, in separate interviews, described the non-compliance as a blatant affront to the rule of law, with some calling out both the Federal and state governments for frustrating enforcement.

Professor Mike Ozekhome (SAN) condemned what he described as a deliberate effort by state governors to circumvent and disobey the Supreme Court’s judgement.

He noted that the ruling was unambiguous in declaring that allocations from the Federation Account under Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution should no longer be routed through the State Joint Local Government Account, but paid directly to the councils.

“The judgment was clear, as clean as a whistle. It was meant to end the practice where governors deduct funds at source, starving the third tier of government of the resources needed to serve grassroots communities,” he said.

Ozekhome also pointed to the power imbalance between state governors and local government chairmen, many of whom, he argued, never truly won elections but were appointed and remain beholden to the governors.

“The story has not changed. The Supreme Court judgement is so far consigned to mere Law Reports,” he added.

Femi Falana (SAN) took aim at the Federal Government, particularly the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), whom he accused of failing to enforce the very judgment he once celebrated. Falana questioned why the AGF had not invoked the provisions of the Constitution to compel compliance, especially after publicly warning that non-compliance would amount to treason.

“The Central Bank asked LGs to open accounts, and they did. Then they were told to provide two years of audited reports. But how can councils produce audit reports for periods when they never directly handled funds?” he queried.

Citing Section 287 of the Constitution, Falana maintained that judgments of the Supreme Court are binding on all persons and authorities and must be obeyed regardless of convenience or politics.

In contrast, Professor Itse Sagay (SAN) offered a nuanced view, admitting that while the judgment had good intentions, it contradicted existing constitutional provisions.

He explained that the Constitution currently recognises the State Joint Local Government Account, and until an amendment is made, direct payment to LGs may technically breach the law.

“The Supreme Court meant well, but it ignored the reality of what the Constitution provides. The Constitution has to be amended before that judgment can be fully and legitimately enforced,” he said.

Another senior lawyer, Adedayo Adedeji (SAN), described the ruling as a landmark affirmation of local government autonomy but lamented its hollow implementation.

He said that state governments remain unwilling to give up their control, both politically and financially, over local councils.

“The states are still running caretaker committees and controlling joint accounts in violation of both the Constitution and the judgment,” he stated.

Adedeji also placed part of the blame on the Federal Government, noting that it is the constitutional duty of the Attorney General to ensure enforcement.

“What we are seeing is a lack of political will by both tiers of government. Until they commit to respecting constitutional governance, this ruling will remain a legal milestone with no practical impact,” he added.

Also, Paul Obi (SAN) stated, “It’s quite unfortunate that despite the clear provisions of the constitution on this subject matter and the extant judgment of the Supreme Court on this, the governors are deliberately and intentionally kicking against the judgment and observing the directives more in breach than in conformity.

“It’s quite sad, but that’s what happens when you have politicians that are self-centered and fight only for their personal interest and not the common good. Truly sad.”

Credit: The Punch