Benue Bizman Drags FG To Court Over Funding Of ‘Unelected’ LG Councils

The Federal Government has been dragged before a Makurdi Federal High Court over the funding of ‘unelected’ local government councils in the country.

A businessman in Benue, Sesugh Akume, instituted the action, praying the court to stop the monthly payments to such councils in the name of allocations.

In the suit, referenced, (FHC/MKD/CS/54/2020), Akume’s lawyers “seek the court to, among other things, immediately stop the federal government — through the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) and its chairman, the minister of finance, budget and national planning; et al — from sending monthly federal account allocations to local governments that are not democratically elected.”

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, and six others are the defendants.

In a press release on Friday, Akume argued that paying councils not democratically elected from the Federation Account was fraudulent.

He also claimed that governors were using caretaker administrations to divert funds.

As such, his suit further sought an order mandating “anti-corruption and security agencies: the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices (and Other Related Offences) Commission (ICPC) to ensure compliance with the order, and consequences for defaulting.”

His statement further reads:” The (1999) Constitution created the local government system to be run exclusively by elected councils, anything outside of this is strange to the Constitution, and illegal.

“However, state governors usually deem them to be extensions of their respective Government Houses, and in connivance with the Houses of Assembly, appoint caretaker/transition administrations (or how ever called) who usually are their stooges, cronies, and surrogates, a clear violation, subverting the democratic process.

“The federal government on its part encourages, entrenches, and incentivises this abnormality by funding these illegal, appointed caretaker administrations, unknown to the Constitution, through monthly federal allocations, and other financial support.

“These factors put together are key contributors to the dysfunction and virtual non-existence of the local government system in Nigeria.

“This is odd and rather retrogressive as this tier of government is closest to the people, and therefore the most important and ought not be toyed with.”