Renewed Debate: Scrapping Local Governments in Nigeria and Handing Power to Traditional Rulers

More than a year after Nigeria’s local government areas (LGAs) secured a landmark Supreme Court ruling affirming their autonomy, state governors still appear to maintain firm control over these grassroots institutions.

In July 2024, the Supreme Court delivered a historic judgment that granted full financial and administrative independence to the country’s 774 local councils. The verdict declared unconstitutional the frequent interference of state governments in local administration. Specifically, it prohibited governors from:

• Dissolving duly elected local councils.
• Appointing caretaker committees.
• Withholding allocations meant for LGAs.
• Directly controlling or managing local government funds.

Despite this pronouncement, implementation has remained elusive. This delay has reignited calls from some political actors that the entire local government system in Nigeria should be abolished.

Adamu Garba Calls for LG Scrapping

Adamu Garba, a former presidential aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC), recently renewed the controversial debate by urging that local governments be scrapped altogether. According to him, LGAs are mere channels exploited by state governors to divert public funds.

Garba proposed that the powers of local governments be handed over to traditional rulers, arguing that these custodians of culture and tradition are better positioned to serve local communities effectively.

He stated:

• “Local governments take instructions from state assemblies, which automatically weakens their independence. Regardless of autonomy, they remain the cash machines of state governors.”
• “Globally, Nigeria is the only country with a functional third tier of government. Since it has failed, why not abolish it?”
• “The funds and authority of LGAs should be handed to traditional rulers who already have cultural legitimacy within their domains. This mirrors the pre-colonial Native Authority system, which functioned effectively before modern government structures.”

Action Alliance Opposes LG Scrapping

However, not all stakeholders share this view. Kenneth Udeze, National Chairman of Action Alliance (AA), strongly rejected Garba’s position.

Speaking with LMSINT Media, Udeze emphasized that local governments remain vital in delivering the dividends of democracy to rural communities. According to him, the real problem lies in bad governance and corruption, not the structure of local government itself.

Udeze stressed:

• The Supreme Court ruling must be fully respected, with local governments receiving their allocations directly without interference through joint state accounts.
• Local governments are the closest level of government to the people and should be preserved for democratic accountability.
• Instead of scrapping LGAs, Nigeria should abolish the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIEC), which are often manipulated by governors. Udeze proposed that INEC, Nigeria’s national electoral body, conduct local government elections to ensure transparency and credibility.

He further revealed that his own LGA recently received an allocation of over ₦400 million, yet citizens saw little to no development because funds were allegedly diverted by the state.

Legal Perspective: Scrapping LGs Not in Nigeria’s Interest

Activist lawyer Maduabuchi Idam also opposed the idea of abolishing LGAs. He described such a move as “self-serving” and argued that it only benefits individuals seeking political or financial control.

Idam noted that Section 7 of the Nigerian Constitution clearly establishes the existence of local governments and guarantees their autonomy. He further highlighted the Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling (AGF vs Attorneys-General of the 36 States), which reinforced this constitutional mandate.

According to him:

• Replacing LGAs with traditional rulers is unconstitutional since traditional institutions derive their powers from state governments, not the people.
• Scrapping LGs would allow states to further dominate communities, undermining grassroots governance.
• The real call should be for electoral reforms to ensure transparent and independent local government elections.

Idam concluded by questioning why the Supreme Court judgment has not been enforced, stressing that its decisions are binding and must be obeyed by all levels of government.

The Way Forward

The debate over whether Nigeria should scrap local governments or strengthen them reflects the ongoing struggle between constitutional governance and political realities.

While critics like Adamu Garba believe LGAs are ineffective and prone to abuse, others argue that they remain a necessary tool for grassroots democracy. The consensus among reformists, however, is that Nigeria needs genuine electoral reforms, direct allocation of funds, and stronger enforcement of judicial rulings to make local governments truly effective.

For now, the question remains: Will Nigeria strengthen its third tier of government, or will it bow to calls for restructuring in favor of traditional institutions?