Human rights lawyer and activist Femi Falana (SAN) has urged Nigerians to shift their focus from the Federal Government in Abuja and actively hold state and local governments accountable for public funds.
Falana made the call on Thursday in Lagos during the public screening of LG Billions in the Dark, an investigative documentary on local governance in Osun State produced by DevReporting.
He lamented that many Nigerians had lost confidence in the local government system, primarily because grassroots elections were repeatedly manipulated by State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs). According to him, SIECs conduct some of the worst elections in Africa, predictably producing chairmen and councillors from ruling parties alone.
Falana challenged advocates of federalism who argue that local governments should be fully controlled by state governors. Citing Section 7 of the Nigerian Constitution, he emphasised that local governments are recognised as a distinct third tier of government, drawing parallels with constitutional arrangements in countries such as Brazil, Switzerland and Argentina.
Reflecting on the legal battles for local government autonomy, Falana noted that despite a landmark Supreme Court judgment in July 2024, which barred states from seizing local government funds or replacing elected councils with caretaker committees, many state governments continued to disregard the ruling.
“In the past, disobedience to court orders was regarded as an affront to the rule of law,” Falana stated, citing historical legal victories against executive lawlessness, including cases involving Chief Gani Fawehinmi and the military government, as well as General Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Civil Service Commission.
“Even under military regimes, the courts made it clear that no authority was above the law. Unfortunately, some state governments now disregard court orders with impunity, despite the President’s calls for compliance.”
Praising DevReporting’s investigative documentary, Falana said the critical question Nigerians should ask was, “Where does the money go?”
“We have enormous resources in this country, yet our communities remain underdeveloped,” he said. “We cannot continue to focus exclusively on Abuja while ignoring what happens in our states and local government areas. Every citizen has a responsibility to demand accountability.”
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, said Nigeria’s national development and progress depended heavily on establishing competent, well-funded and functional local government administrations.
She stressed that the impact of federal and state governance would remain detached from ordinary citizens until grassroots administration was revitalised. Addressing attendees at the event held on the UNILAG campus, the vice-chancellor noted that rapid urbanisation made local councils essential frontline providers of public services such as waste collection, road maintenance and sanitation.
She urged local authorities to move beyond basic administrative tasks and actively drive local economic growth, support businesses and maintain inclusive public spaces. Welcoming recent moves towards direct financial allocations to local councils, she expressed optimism despite the ongoing challenges.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Journalism and Innovation Development (CJID), Mr Dapo Olorunyomi, who chaired the event, praised DevReporting for taking the difficult path that many journalists avoided.
“Holding public institutions and officers accountable for their responsibilities to citizens is what can make them stay on their toes, and that is what DevReporting did with its documentary,” Olorunyomi stressed. “And that is accountability journalism.”
Another major highlight of the event was the official launch of the Development Reporting Africa Foundation (DRAF), the non-profit arm of DevReporting, alongside a panel session.
The panel featured Comfort Idika-Ogunye of Jiti Ogunye Chambers; Mr Moyosore Adebanjo, Executive Chairman of Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State; Mr Wale Adedayo, former Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area, Ogun State; Dr Vera Amaechi, a lecturer in the Department of Political Science at UNILAG; and Mr Joshua Osiyemi, Head of Tracka at BudgIT.
The convener and team lead of DevReporting, Mr Mojeed Alabi, underscored the significance of the documentary and the launch of DRAF, stating that the initiatives were driven by a collective pursuit of a better society.
WATCH TOP VIDEOS FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE TV