By Ifeizu Joe
The Labour Party caucus of the Anambra State House of Assembly has resisted attempt by the governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo to arm twist local government chairmen into paying their federal government allocation back to the state.
Anambra had last two weeks held its local government election, in which all the candidates of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, who are loyal to Governor Soludo won all the 21 Local Government Areas.
But members of the Labour Party in the state assembly are alleging that a bill before the house is seeking to arm twist the chairmen to send back the local government allocation received directly from the federal government back to the state coffers.
The LP caucus in a briefing on Tuesday evening said: “Recently, Anambra State Local Government Administration Bill was brought to the Assembly. Some sections of the bill particularly Sections 13, 14 and 16 seek to compel the Local Governments to pay their Federal Allocation into an account to be established by the State Government, thereby running foul of the Supreme Court judgement.
“Consequently, we as the Labour party caucus in the State House of Assembly wish to state as follows: That we stand by the decision of the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land on the autonomy of Local Government and the management of their funds.
“That going by the extant order of the Supreme Court, the State House of Assembly cannot make laws seeking to compel the Local governments to pay in their Federal Allocation to the State Government under whatever guise.
“We therefore stand with the overwhelming majority of Anambra people in upholding the constitution and the Supreme Court decision.”
It would be recalled that on 11th day of July, 2024, the Supreme Court gave a judgment in Suit No: SC/CV/343/2024, Attorney General of the Federation V Attorney General of Abia State & ors.
In that judgment, the Supreme Court made far reaching decisions on the funds and autonomy of the Local Government as a third tier of the Federation.
The judgment among other declarations barred the State Government, its agents, privies, officials and those acting for or on their instruction from interfering, managing, collecting, receiving, spending or tampering with Local Government Council funds from Federation Account.
It further ordered that the money due to the Local Governments be paid directly to them.
The press conference was briefed by the eight members of the House of Assembly from Labour Party.
They include: Hon. Jude Umennajiego, Hon. Mazi Paul Obu, Hon. Nkechi Ogbuefi, Hon. Patrick Okafor, Hon. Fredrick Ezenwa, Hon. Kingsley Udemezue, Hon. Nigeria Henry Mbachu and Hon. Justice Azuka.
