Senator AbdulFatai Buhari, representing Oyo North, on Sunday renewed calls for sweeping constitutional and fiscal reforms to strengthen local government autonomy, warning that Nigeria cannot achieve genuine grassroots development without liberating councils from state control.
Buhari made the call while delivering the anniversary lecture titled “Local Government Autonomy in Nigeria: The Impact, Prospects, and Challenges” at the 3rd anniversary grand finale and award day of Ibadan Mega Voice (IMV), an affiliate of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII). The event held at the NUJ Hall, BCOS premises, Orita Basorun, Ibadan.
The senator said autonomy remains “a vital but highly contested pillar of Nigeria’s federal system,” noting that although the Constitution recognises local governments as the third tier, “their actual empowerment has been eroded by legal ambiguity, financial dependence and political interference.”
Buhari criticised the State Joint Local Government Account, describing it as the biggest obstacle to grassroots development.
“The constitutional recognition of local government has not translated into constitutional empowerment.
“Local governments exist, but their actual autonomy is undermined by state control over finances and personnel,” he said.
The lawmaker explained that autonomy is essential for effective service delivery, improved citizen participation, fiscal innovation and functional federalism.
“Local governments are closest to the people. They understand local needs better. When councils have decision-making freedom, they respond faster to emergencies and deliver projects more efficiently,” he said.
Citing studies in Kaduna, Gombe and Abuja Municipal Area Council, Buhari said councils with greater freedom recorded better infrastructure maintenance, higher revenue and faster project execution.
He warned that lack of autonomy has led to stagnation in several states.
“No local government in Oyo State has completed and commissioned a five-kilometre inner road since 2019. This is what happens when political interference suffocates grassroots development,” he declared.
The lawmaker, however, expressed optimism about ongoing reform efforts, pointing to recent Supreme Court positions, the 2024 Local Government Reform Bill, advances in e-governance and rising civic demand for accountability.
“The prospects are promising, but autonomy will only become meaningful when councils can receive funds directly, conduct free elections, mobilise internal revenue and engage citizens transparently,” the senator noted.
He listed constitutional review, INEC-conducted council elections, fiscal reform, digital revenue collection, capacity building and stronger anti-corruption systems as necessary steps.
“If Nigeria must achieve inclusive governance, empowering local governments is non-negotiable,” Buhari added.
