The Labour Party faction of the Anambra State House of Assembly has opposed alleged attempts by the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo to compel local government chairmen into paying their federal government allocation back to the state.
A fortnight ago, Anambra held its local government election, where all the candidates of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, who are loyal to Governor Soludo won all the 21 Local Government Areas.
However, members of the Labour Party in the state assembly are claiming that a bill before the house is looking to force the chairmen to dismiss the local government allocation received directly from the federal government back into the state coffers.
What They’re Saying
The LP faction had in a briefing on Tuesday evening, stated:
“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.”
Recall that on the July 11, 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, among other declarations, prohibited the State Government, its agents, privies, officials and those acting for or on their instruction from interfering, managing, collecting, receiving, spending or meddling with Local Government Council funds from Federation Account.
The court also ordered that the money due to the Local Governments be paid directly to them.
