“Governors to Review Supreme Court Ruling on Local Government Autonomy Tonight” – Gov Soludo

Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, announced that state governors will convene Thursday night to discuss the recent Supreme Court ruling granting financial autonomy to local governments.

Speaking to State House correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, Soludo expressed his approval of the judgment, despite not having seen the full details. “That’s great. The Supreme Court is the final authority and I am a democrat. I believe in the rule of law. And once the Supreme Court has spoken, it has spoken. Tonight, I think the Governors Forum is meeting to review this,” he stated.

Emphasizing the need for resources to reach grassroots levels, Soludo highlighted the importance of accountability and transparency in public fund utilization to alleviate the common man’s burden. “We need to promote accountability. We need to promote transparency in the utilization of public resources at all levels, to be able to lift the burden of the common man,” he added.

Addressing the implications of the ruling for Anambra, Soludo noted that ongoing litigations have hindered the conduct of local government elections in the state, but efforts are underway to resolve these issues. “When I was elected into office, that’s one of the things I promised our people [to conduct local government election]. We’ve just passed the Independent Electoral Commission Law of Anambra State and we’re putting together the institutions to be able to organize that. It is a promise I made and when I make a promise, I am serious about keeping it,” he explained.

Soludo assured that his administration is ensuring resources reach local governments to support their staff, including teachers, pensioners, and primary health workers. He also mentioned that a persistent litigation has previously prevented local government elections, and efforts are being made to address this and organize elections appropriately.