Former Minister of Power and Steel, Elder Wole Oyelese, has taken a swipe at state governors, including Oyo State over their failure to implement the Supreme Court judgment granting full autonomy to local governments.
He urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure the immediate and practical execution of the ruling, describing it as essential to restoring grassroots governance in Nigeria.
Oyelese, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and a former Chairman of Egbeda Local Government, made the call on Monday in Ibadan.
He said the implementation of the Supreme Court’s July 2024 judgment; which mandates direct allocation of funds to the 774 local councils and bans the use of caretaker committees, would give true meaning to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Local government autonomy is the lifeblood of rural development and the surest way to restore citizens’ confidence in governance.
“Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution guarantees a system of local government by democratically elected councils.
“That provision was designed to make government accessible and accountable to the people. The full implementation of the judgment will not only deepen democracy but also ignite development at the level where it is most visible, which is the grassroots,” Oyelese said.
Drawing from his experience as a former council chairman, Oyelese lamented the decline of local governance across the country.
He noted that many local councils have been reduced to mere appendages of state governments, with elected chairmen unable to carry out basic responsibilities without state approval.
“It is disheartening that a chairman elected by the people must apply for approval before repairing a culvert or building a classroom. That defeats the very essence of democracy.
“Many projects credited to local governments today are executed by outsiders with little or no understanding of the communities they serve. This leads to capital flight and robs local artisans and youths of the economic benefits that should come with development,” Oyelese stated.
Reflecting on earlier years, Oyelese recalled a time when councils truly functioned independently. “Between 1991 and 1993, when councils operated with genuine autonomy, you could see the difference.
“Roads were built, markets sprang up, boreholes were drilled, and rural economies flourished. People could trace their taxes and federal allocations to actual projects,” he recalled.
He observed that the current situation has left most local government chairmen as “spectators in their own councils,” unable to act, speak, or plan for their people without state interference.
Without singling out any state, Oyelese acknowledged that while some, such as Jigawa and Lagos, have begun implementing the Supreme Court judgment by releasing funds directly to local councils, many, including Oyo state have yet to comply.
In his words, “This is not about confrontation; it is about restoration,” he said pointedly. “If we must renew hope, we must start from where people feel it most, their villages, their communities, their markets, and their schools.
“Mr. President has shown enough political will to convince Nigerians that if he truly wants this done, he knows how to do it.”
Oyelese warned that failure to ensure the direct flow of local government funds would continue to stifle grassroots development.
“When money meant for local communities is trapped in state bureaucracy, it kills small businesses, slows rural development, and weakens citizens’ faith in democracy. The poorest of our people pay the price,” he said.
He clarified that his remarks were not politically motivated but driven by empathy and experience. “I have lived among the people, shared their burdens, and seen how much difference a functioning local government can make. I speak not against any person or administration, but for those whose voices are drowned by bureaucracy,” he said.
Elder Oyelese concluded by appealing to President Tinubu to lead from the front in enforcing the Supreme Court judgment nationwide.
“Mr. President has a historic opportunity to write his name in gold,” he declared. “The execution of the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy will be remembered as the true beginning of Renewed Hope for the Nigerian people.”