FEATURES

FEATURES

The Federal Government has inaugurated the Presidential Food Systems Coordination Unit (PFSCU) as part of its efforts to tackle the prevailing hardship in the land.

While inaugurating the unit at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, on Friday, Vice President Kashim Shettima said it was part of the present administration’s ongoing plan to tackle hunger.

The presidency has also engaged the states, development partners and other critical stakeholders in the efforts to address the soaring prices of commodities and general food insecurity in the country.

Addressing members comprising governors, cabinet ministers and representatives of development partners, Shettima said, “The nation is facing a rare food security crisis and the sooner we come to terms with the reality, the better.

“Food insecurity endangers the very basis of our democratic experiment and this is why all hands have to be on deck. We are in a food security crisis but it also provides us the opportunity to re-engineer and reposition the nation on a firmer footing”.

Outlining the mandate of the PFSCU, the Vice President said the unit was not created to usurp the functions of the Ministry of Agriculture, noting that the urgency and seriousness of the matter at hand requires the ideas and resources of all stakeholders.

Shettima also made reference to the Green Imperative Programme, a government-catalyzed, private sector-driven, agricultural industrialization programme, as one initiative which the PFSCU must work assiduously to activate and operationalize.

He stated that with improved farming practices, improved seeds, use of fertilizers, Nigeria’s agricultural productivity could be turned around for the better.

 

Speaking earlier, governors on the committee outlined plans to modernise farming practices, increase crop yields, and transform Nigeria into a self-sufficient food producer.

Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River said his state is looking to feed the country, adding that his government must modernize agriculture to feed the population.

“We are an agrarian state, and we have stepped up our game,” Governor Otu noted.

On his part, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, emphasised the need for a coordinated approach, citing low productivity and population growth as a major challenge to the nation’s food security drive.

He called for investment in commercial agriculture, improved funding, and enhanced security for farmers.

Also, Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, highlighted the state’s potential to achieve food security.

“All that is needed is the political will to drive the process. Our lands are very fertile. In Jigawa, there are places where we are yielding ten tonnes per hectare of rice. There are so many places like that. As of today, our average in Jigawa State is about 12.56 per hectare. We are on the right course. What we need is sustained political will,” the governor explained.

On his part, Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, proposed his state as a pilot for the President’s food security initiative.

 

He claimed that Niger has invested over N100 billion in agricultural mechanization, with 5,000 tractors and twenty pilot irrigation systems available.

[DailyTrust]

Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, and Governor of Kwara, AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman has reacted to the Supreme Court judgement granting full autonomy to Local Government Areas, saying the development is a huge relief on governors.

But the NGF chairman also said the governors will meet next week to consider the judgement, and come out with a resolution.

AbdulRahman, who met with President Bola Tinubu in the Presidential Villa on Friday, said many people are oblivious of the burden the state governors carry, especially in terms of bailing LGs out.

“We welcome the ruling of the Supreme Court. Compliance is a given and our Attorney Generals have applied for the enrollment order, which we’ll study carefully.

“But by and large governors are happy with the devolution of power in respect to local government autonomy. It relieves the burden on governors. Our people really don’t know how much states expend in bailing out local governments, and that’s the issue there,” the NGF Chairman told State House Correspondents.

Reacting to how the judgement would affect his state, Kwara, the governor said the implication is that the various LGs would have to manage themselves, especially on the payment of salaries to workers and traditional rulers.

He said, “It’s not going to affect Kwara State. We’ve never tampered with local government funds. So it’s going to continue. What the local governments have to do is to manage themselves, especially with the oncoming minimum wage, to manage their affairs and make sure salaries are paid, traditional rulers get their 5% and those are the main issues.

“Like I said, we haven’t seen the enrollment of the court order and so we really don’t know what is in there.

“The Forum will meet next Wednesday, to look at the issue wholly and then come up with a resolution on that.”

[DailyPost]

 

President Bola Tinubu has named the National Arts Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos, after Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.

Tinubu announced this in a letter he wrote to celebrate the iconic figure in commemoration of his 90th birthday.

 

In the tribute personally signed by the President and made available to the media on Friday, he noted that the literary giant, the first African to win the Nobel Literature Prize in 1986, deserves all the accolades in this milestone “Having beaten prostate cancer, this milestone is a fitting testament to his ruggedness as a person and the significance of his work.”

Details shortly…

[TheNation]

 

Afrobeats star, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema performed his hit song “Calm Down” at the high-profile wedding of Anant Ambani, son of Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, and Radhika Merchant, daughter of pharma tycoons Viren and Shaila Merchant.

His record label, MAVIN on X.com shared the video on Friday.

According to Hindustan Times, Rema charged $3 million to perform his global hit song ‘Calm Down’ at the event.

The event, which took place on July 12 at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai, featured performances by global stars like Justin Bieber, who reportedly received $10 million for his performance, and Rihanna, whose fee was not disclosed.

 

The four-day wedding extravaganza in Mumbai City is the final stop in a string of lavish parties the family has hosted since March.

The wedding was attended by numerous celebrities and dignitaries, including Kim Kardashian, former UK Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Tony Blair, and former US Secretary of State John Kerry, among others.

Watch video Below:

https://x.com/i/status/1811805479959437330

[Punch]

In a major move to curb oil theft in the Niger Delta region, the Federal Government has approved a $21 million contract for the installation of meters in 187 flow stations.

The Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri who disclosed this to journalists in Abuja on Friday said the move is expected to improve oil production and boost revenue to the Federal Account.

 

Senator Lokpobiri also disclosed that another contract has also been approved to allow the government to monitor advanced cargoes to be able to track the movements of Nigeria’s crude oil.

He said the contracts which were approved by the Federal Executive Council have 180 days (six months) completion period.

“One of the key decisions of the Federal Executive Council on Wednesday has to do with the awarding of the contract for metering of our 187 flow stations across the Niger Delta region of Nigeria by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC.

“As part of the reforms to ensure that we have proper accountability, the Federal Executive Council approved the metering of all our production and we have 187 flow stations in the country, littered across the Niger Delta area so that we would be able to properly account for what we produce and what we export. It’s a major, major development that will happen in this country.

“This project is meant to be completed within six months, within 180 days. And it’s important that Nigerians know some of the key steps that this government is taking to ensure that we maximize the opportunities that other countries are getting by the availability of oil and gas”.

“As part of the steps towards ensuring that we account for what we produce and then Nigerians get the maximum value for what we produce, the second memo that was approved by the Council has to do with what we call advance cargo. Which means we’re awarding a contract to a company that will provide the technology within the 180 days, the same period, to enable us, you know, know from the point of loading of every cargo of crude oil that’s loaded in Nigeria up to the point of destination.

“So if, from Forcados terminal crude oil is loaded, I can stay in my office and know when it’s taken off from Nigeria up to the final destination. You will agree with me that most of the times we talk about the issue of oil thefts, major steps have to be taken. But this is the time for us to take very, very major steps so that we know from the beginning what we produce to the point of loading from our terminals up to the point of destination”.

He explained that the main objective from the contracts “is for us to ramp up production and improve the federation revenue.

Remember that oil is still the fastest way we can raise the funding we need to be able to address our economic and social problems”.

Senator Lokpobiri said the move would provide a database on the movement of Nigeria’s crude and a tracking centre for crude oil export.

He noted that reforms put in place by the administration have increased investors’ confidence in the Nigerian environment adding that in the coming months, the government expects major investment decisions that would “amount tens of billions of dollars”.

The Oil Minister also said the ongoing move by International Oil Companies, IOCs, to divest their onshore assets was going on smoothly, assuring that it was not unusual in any sector.

[Vanguard]

The University of Warwick in the United Kingdom (UK) has awarded Cherish Daniel Markson, a Nigerian student, first prize for her exceptional performance in a three-year BA (Hons) law with social sciences degree programme.

Cherish will also receive £250 as part of the prize for her outstanding performance and a formal reception after the main graduation ceremony on July 19.

She is the daughter of Daniel Iworiso-Markson, a former commissioner for information and orientation in Bayelsa state.

In a congratulatory letter, Margaret O’Brien, director of undergraduate studies at the university’s school of law, said Markson scored the highest marks “on the most demanding of all courses”.

 

“You have been awarded First Prize for your three-year BA (Hons) Law with Social Sciences degree at the University of Warwick. You achieved a second-class higher division degree with an overall average of 67.3%,” the letter reads.

“This was the highest mark of all students on this most demanding course. A record of your prize-winner status will be added to your HEAR transcript.

“Your prize of £250 will be paid directly into your bank account.”

Cherish had maintained good grades before the prize.

Three years ago, Cherish, as a student at Bridge House College, Lagos, was awarded the first prize in the world award in law and high achievement in sociology by Cambridge International.

In November 2021, she bagged a prestigious award for outstanding achievement in her advanced subsidiary-level examination.

She bagged A-stars in nine of her IGCSE subjects: English, Mathematics, Biology, Geography, Literature, Business Studies, Economics, History, and ICT.

[TheCable]

A former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, has condemned the supreme court ruling on the financial autonomy of the 774 LGAs in the country.

Recall that on Thursday, the supreme court ruled that the federal government should henceforth pay allocations directly to local government councils from the federation account.

 

The seven-member panel of justices held that the state governments have continued to abuse their powers by retaining and using the funds meant for LGAs.

The apex court also ordered the federal government to withhold allocations of LGAs governed by unelected officials appointed by the governor.

Reacting to the judgement via a post on his X page, Ibori opined that the judgement is an assault and a setback on true federalism.

He argued that the court’s verdict contravenes section 162(3) of the 1999 Constitution.

The former governor said the federal government “has no right to interfere with the administration of LGAs under any guise whatsoever”.

He said the ruling would have “far-reaching” implications, such as “erosion of state autonomy” and centralising “more power to the centre,” among others.

Ibori wrote, “The supreme court has dealt a severe setback on the principle of federalism as defined by section 162(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“The section expressly provides thus: ‘Any amount standing to the credit of the Federation Account shall be distributed among the Federal and State Governments and the Local Government Councils in each State on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly’.

“Sections 6 provide further clarity on the subject matter: ‘Each State shall maintain a special account to be called ‘State Joint Local Government Account’ into which shall be paid all allocations to the Local Government Councils of the State from the Federation Account and from the Government of the State.

“The implications of the ruling are far-reaching, and the issues that readily come to mind are Constitutional Interpretation: The Supreme Court’s ruling appears to contradict the explicit provisions of Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution.

“The implications of the ruling are far-reaching, and the issues that readily come to mind are Constitutional Interpretation: The Supreme Court’s ruling appears to contradict the explicit provisions of Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution.

“This raises questions about judicial interpretation and whether the court has overstepped its bounds in reinterpreting clear constitutional language.

“Balance of Power: The ruling potentially shifts the balance of power between the federal government and states. By allowing federal intervention in local government finances, it arguably centralises more power at the federal level, contrary to the principles of federalism.

“State Autonomy: This decision could be seen as an erosion of state autonomy. States are meant to have significant control over their internal affairs, including the administration of local governments, in a federal system.

“Financial Independence: The ruling may impact the financial independence of states and local governments. If the federal government can directly intervene in local government finances, it could potentially use this as a tool for political leverage.

“Precedent-setting: This decision could set a precedent for further federal interventions in areas traditionally reserved for state governance, potentially leading to a more centralised system of government over time. That local governments must be ‘democratically elected’ goes without saying.”

[BusinessDay]

The Senate on Thursday rejected a bill seeking to amend the Foreign Exchange Act of 2004 to introduce provisions for the control, monitoring, and supervision of transactions in the Foreign Exchange Market according to reports from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).  

The bill, titled “The Foreign Exchange (Control and Monitoring) Bill, 2024 (SB. 353),” was sponsored by Sani Musa (APC-Niger), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, and was first read on Tuesday, February 20. 

In his lead debate, Musa described the bill as crucial legislation intended to repeal the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap. F34, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. 

 

He stated that the proposed law would regulate, monitor, and supervise market transactions and related matters. Additionally, it aimed to contribute to the sound development of the national economy by facilitating foreign transactions and maintaining a balance of international payments. 

Sen. Musa said, “The Bill seeks to stabilise the value of the currency by ensuring the liberalisation of foreign exchange transactions to maintain an equilibrium of the balance of international payments.” 

“It will also stabilise the value of the currency by ensuring liberalisation of foreign exchange transactions and of other foreign transactions by revitalising market functionality. The newly introduced clauses will enable the CBN to determine the basic exchange rate of purchase and sale of foreign exchange,” 

Rejection of the bill by members of the senate 

However, senators expressed concerns that new legislation to monitor or control the foreign exchange market, beyond the current efforts by the CBN, could be counterproductive. 

Notable senators who voiced serious reservations about the proposed law included Solomon Adeola (Chairman of the Committee on Appropriation), Tokunbo Abiru (Chairman of the Committee on Banking, Insurance, and Other Financial Institutions), and Aliyu Wadada (Chairman of the Senate Public Accounts Committee). 

Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo (APC-Gombe), for instance, argued that passing such a law would confuse Nigerians. He noted that any further regulation of the foreign exchange market should originate from the executive branch to avoid creating a crisis in the sector. 

Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC-Edo) pointed out that the senators who had spoken had meticulously summarized and amplified the contradictions and negative implications of passing the law.

Oshiomhole believed the bill should not proceed further, as it would effectively take over the CBN’s monetary policy regulations.  

He suggested that if the executive branch wished, they could introduce a bill to further strengthen the CBN’s regulatory powers, emphasizing that such matters were not the Senate’s responsibility. 

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, urged Senator Musa to withdraw the proposed law for further consultations, but the senator declined. 

Sen. Akpabio then called for a voice vote to decide its approval or rejection for a second reading, and the majority of lawmakers voted against it. 

[Nairametrics]

The foremost Pan African student movement, the Progressive Students Movement (PSM), stated that President Bola Tinubu is fully in charge of the affairs of the Villa and not caged as claimed by Senator Ali Ndume.

Ndume had alleged that the president is unaware of the happenings outside the Villa, suggesting that he has been fenced off and caged.

Reacting to the senator’s comment, President of PSM, Bestman Okereafor, in a statement, said the president is fully in charge and remains the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“As progressives, PSM considers this statement from the Senate Chief Whip as diminishing and derogatory to the esteemed office of the Executive President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

He urged Ndume to propose open solutions to the security challenges and other issues facing the nation, especially in his senatorial district, noting that Vice President Shettima is also from Borno State.

 

 

“The Senate Chief Whip was insensitive to the fact that his derogatory remarks about Mr. President are harmful to the ruling APC, a party he also belongs to!”

“We are imploring President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently address the myriad of issues confronting the nation, which include but are not limited to economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment, scarcity, and the unregulated sale of PMS, among several others,” he said.

[Leadership]

 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court of Nigeria affirming the spirit, intent, and purpose of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the statutory rights of local governments.

According to the president, “By virtue of this judgement, our people – especially the poor – will be able to hold their local leaders to account for their actions and inactions. What is sent to local government accounts will be known, and services must now be provided without excuses”.

President Tinubu, according to a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, noted that one of the fundamental challenges to the nation’s advancement over the years has been ineffective “local government administration”, as governance at that level “is nearly absent”.

Re-echoing his relief over the apex court’s verdict of yesterday, the president emphasised that the onus is now on local council leaders to ensure that the broad spectrum of Nigerians living at the local government level are satisfied that they are benefitting from people-oriented service delivery.

“My administration instituted this suit because of our unwavering belief that our people must have relief and today’s (yesterday’s) judgement will ensure that it will be only those local officials elected by the people that will control the resources of the people.

“This judgement stands as a resounding affirmation that we can use legitimate means of redress to restructure our country and restructure our economy to make Nigeria a better place to live in and a fairer society for all of our people,” he stated.

President Tinubu noted that the provision of some essential amenities and public goods, such as the construction and maintenance of certain roads, streets, street lighting, drains, parks, gardens, open spaces, and other residual responsibilities, including community security, “has tottered owing to the emasculation of local governments”.

The president therefore affirmed that the decision of the Supreme Court to uphold the constitutional rights and ideals of local governments as regards financial autonomy, and other salient principles, is of historic significance and further reinforces the effort to enhance Nigeria’s true federal fabric for the development of the entire nation.

He commended the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) for his diligence and patriotic effort on this important assignment.

In a judgment delivered yesterday by Justice Emmanuel Agim, on behalf of the seven-member panel, the court directed the Accountant General of the Federation to pay local government allocations directly to their accounts. It declared non-remittance of funds by some states to local governments as unconstitutional.

The ruling also nullified the appointment of caretaker chairmen while mandating direct crediting of local government allocations from the federation account. 

The seven-member panel barred governors from dissolving elected local government chairmen and replacing them with caretaker committees. Funds to non-elected committees will be withheld.

The 36 state governors, represented by their attorneys general, had challenged the federal government’s action based on Section 162 of the Nigerian Constitution, which provides for a joint account for local government allocations.

However, the court dismissed this objection, emphasising that the constitutional provision should not be abused by state governors.

Meanwhile, Nigerians across different spectrum also reacted positively to the apex court’s judgement yesterday. 

In a dissenting opinion, Justice Habeeb Abiru noted that while financial autonomy for local governments is guaranteed by the Constitution, it is not the court’s role to intervene if a local government and state government agree on fund management.

Also amend Constitution for INEC to conduct LG polls – Ex-Gov Ngilari

 A former of Adamawa State, Bala James Ngilari, while commending the Tinubu administration for going to court to secure freedom for the local government areas, however, advised that the federal government should work further towards Constitution amendment to move powers of conducting elections into LGAs to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), instead of State Independent National Electoral Commissions (SIECS).

“There is a reasonable possibility that people will win election based on their popularity if the election is conducted by INEC,” Ngilari said.

“The way it is now, even though the Supreme Court has given financial autonomy to LGAs, governors will continue to control their resources by ensuring that only their preferred candidates win election through the SIECs,” he said.

Speaking in the same vein, a former Deputy Governor of Benue State, Chief Stephen Lawani, said the ruling would require additional measures to make local governments functional and relevant.

Lawani also agreed that the conduct of elections into local councils should be taken away SIECS and given to INEC. He added that holding local government elections simultaneously with other political office elections would ensure the autonomy and relevance of local governments.

All institutions must be respected – Prof. Yadudu

Renowned constitutional lawyer, Professor Auwalu Yadudu, praised the ruling as a progressive interpretation of the constitutional provision for local government autonomy.

When asked if the decision would make a significant difference in how state governments treat local governments, Yadudu expressed optimism. He said: “I anticipate that it should. All institutions should be respected and obviously it will require some adjustments here and there.” 

He emphasized that the ruling should be seen as an interpretation given in the best circumstances, not as a contradiction to Section 162(6)(7)&(8) of the Constitution, which provides for the state to maintain a joint account with the local government for the receipt of allocations.

He said: “Just like one of the justices said, it’s a progressive way of looking at the ruling. Look at it this way, there is a stipulation that the state shall maintain a joint account, but the state never puts any money from its own purse. So, you can’t say it should maintain a joint account when you yourself don’t respect it.”

Professor Yadudu emphasized that the ruling aligns with Section 7 of the Constitution, which requires a democratically elected system of government at the local level. He noted that the decision mandates the federal government and its agencies to deal with democratically elected local governments, not caretaker committees. This interpretation, according to Yadudu, goes beyond financial autonomy, addressing broader governance issues.

He highlighted the need for state laws to conform to the ruling of the Supreme Court. He also acknowledged the possibility that governors might try to circumvent the ruling but hoped that the explicit nature of the decision would prevent such actions.

On whether the Supreme Court’s decision addressed the operational challenges of the local government system, which some argue require constitutional amendments, Professor Yadudu said: “The interpretation rule to bring clarity to the relationship between the states and local government is preferable; meaning that the Supreme Court has interpreted both sections and in light of its understanding of the prevailing circumstances, feels that this is the way to go.”

He said that rather than amending the constitution, the focus should be on compliance with the ruling and the development of state laws in alignment with it.

However, E.M.D. Umukoro, Esq. said that the Supreme Court has engaged in judicial legislation.  He stated that the intention of the constitution in Section 162(5) regarding the joint account was for both the state and local government to contribute to the account and for its expenditure to be decided by state laws.

He suggested that state governments might need to return to the Supreme Court for clarification if they believe the court has overstepped its role in interpreting the law. 

It’s win-win – ALGON

The Director General of the Association of Local Government in Nigeria (ALGON), Itiako Ikpokpo, said the ruling is a win-win outcome, enabling people to hold local government chairmen accountable as funds will go directly to them.

He said: “The Nigerian people will enjoy the benefit of good governance. This has been in the clamour for a long time and it is not personal.”

He said ALGON sees the decision as a significant step towards enhancing the efficiency and accountability of local government administration across the country.

It’s victory for Nigerians – Atiku, NULGE, others

Reacting, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described the judgment as a win for the people of Nigeria.

“The court’s ruling is a step in the right direction and a major corrective action in greasing the wheels of national development across the country,” he said.

Atiku criticized the previous policy of consolidating local councils’ revenues into state government accounts, describing it as politically motivated and detrimental to development.

On its part, the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) expressed similar sentiments, stating that over 50 per cent of Nigeria’s problems will be addressed following the ruling.

Ambali Olatunji, the National President of NULGE, emphasized the potential for financial integrity and development at the local government level.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, he said: “We hope there will be financial integrity at the local government levels and all financial transactions will be tracked. We will be working with anti-corruption agencies to ensure growth and development. So, we are happy and it is a fulfilment of long-awaited dreams and the struggle in the last 15 years has come to a victorious end.”

Also, the Arewa Think Tank welcomed the judgment as a victory for Nigerians and urged state governors to accept the decision in good faith.

In a statement by its Chief Convener, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, the group described the ruling as a means to ensure rapid development at the local government level.

Yakubu said: “It is a ‘No Victor, No Vanquished’ judgement that is meant to ensure rapid development at the local government levels because local government is an intermediary player between the federal authority and the grassroots in the country.”

Citizens outline priority

Meanwhile, citizens across Nigeria are expressing their views on how allocated funds should be utilized to enhance grassroots development.

In Benue State, Emmanuel Azege, a staff member of Ukum Local Government Council, hailed the court’s decision as a long overdue development.

“We appreciate the Supreme Court judgment,” he stated, emphasizing the need to prioritize security in Ukum, which faces significant challenges.

Azege advocated for investments in security infrastructure to address local concerns effectively. Additionally, he highlighted the importance of enhancing education through the construction of more classrooms and linking local markets with culverts, alongside upgrading local clinics.

In Kano, Musa Saleh Baba, an employee of Kano Municipal Local Government Council, welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, foreseeing it as a catalyst for transformative change at the grassroots level.

Another Kano resident, Tukur Muntari echoed this sentiment, believing that direct funding would empower council chairmen to act independently and efficiently.

However, Hauwa Elyakub, a rural development expert, cautioned that while the court’s decision is commendable, systemic reforms are essential at the local government level.

She pointed out deficiencies in governance and suggested that autonomy should be accompanied by comprehensive reforms to ensure effective decision-making and accountability.

“These reforms are crucial. Improving governance practices will lay the foundation for effective utilization of financial autonomy, thereby benefiting local communities,” she emphasized.

Governors to review decision

Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo said that governors would meet to review the judgment, but emphasized the importance of resources reaching the grassroots and promoting accountability and transparency in public resource utilization.

Soludo, who briefed State House correspondents after a meeting between governors of President Tinubu, added that, “I mean, 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. And I understand, I mean, tonight (Thursday), I think the Governors Forum is meeting to review this.”

He added that there is a need for resources to reach the real grassroots to ensure people’s money works for them at all levels of government.

When asked about the situation in Anambra, where litigations have hampered local government elections, Soludo assured that efforts are ongoing to address these issues and conduct necessary elections. He reiterated the commitment to promoting transparency and accountability in public resource utilization, which is essential for lifting the burden of the common man.

[DailyTrust]