Former presidential aspirant on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform, Adamu Garba, has criticized local governments in Nigeria, describing them as mere Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) for state governors. He called for the scrapping of local governments, which he characterized as "paper-only, money-sharing third tier of government."
In a statement he posted on his X page, Garba expressed skepticism about the implementation of local government autonomy as mandated by the Supreme Court. He argued that local governments lack real independence since their legislation is controlled by state assemblies, effectively making them dependent entities managed by governors.
Garba stated, “One of the most inefficient, ineffective back pocket of some state governors is the local government councils. Local governments take their legislation from the state assemblies and you know what that means. Autonomy or not, the LGs are still ATMs of some state governors.”
He further asserted that Nigeria is unique in having a third tier of government, suggesting that since the system has proven unworkable, the local government tier should be abolished altogether.
Instead of pushing for constitutional authority to traditional rulers, Garba suggested that the powers of local governments should be handed over to traditional rulers to manage according to local culture and tradition. He believes this would provide a more effective and culturally appropriate governance structure for local areas.
Garba’s remarks come against a backdrop of ongoing debates and delays in the actual implementation of local government autonomy in Nigeria, despite a historic Supreme Court ruling mandating financial and administrative independence for local government councils. Challenges remain in disbursing funds directly to LGAs and ensuring their independent operation, as state governments continue to exert varying degrees of control over LG resources and functions.
The discourse on local government autonomy is significant for grassroots governance in Nigeria, with civil society, unions, and some state governments advocating for proper implementation to boost accountability, service delivery, and development at the community level. Garba's controversial stance adds a new dimension to the debate on how best local governance should be structured in Nigeria.