PDP governors welcome verdict on LG autonomy, call for caution in its implementation.

The apex court, on July 11, declared that it is unconstitutional for state governors to hold onto funds meant for local government (LG) administrations. The court also barred governors from dissolving democratically elected local government councils in the country, saying doing so would amount to a breach of the 1999 Constitution.

A week after the landmark judgement, the PDP governors accepted the apex court’s decision. The governors, however, called for caution while implementing the ruling.

During the forum’s meeting on Wednesday at the Enugu State Government House, Enugu, the PDP governors expressed their positions.

Governor Bala Mohammed, the Forum’s chairman, issued a communiqué at the end of the meeting stating that it “will continue to support the autonomy of the local governments as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The governor said the Forum “believes in the efficacy of the local government system, which ensures that governance is brought closer to the people as provided for in the constitution, adding that it “holds the Supreme Court in the highest esteem, and is committed to obedience to court orders.

However, the Forum urges the implementation of the court decision to prevent system undermining and the development of a trust deficit between the federal and sub-national governments.

The opposition governors also weighed in on the demands by organised labour for an increase in the national minimum wage, saying the workers unions’ demand for a salary increment is “eminently justified” in the face of worsening economic hardship in the country.

The final agreement on the new minimum wage must be realistic and take into account all levels of the government’s ability to pay, they warned.

“While the Forum fully supports labour’s demand, agreements must consider the ability to pay by the local government, sub-national government, and federal government,” the communiqué reads.

“While negotiations are ongoing, we appeal for restraint in both utterances and actions that could lead to the complete breakdown of law and order and, ultimately, the collapse of the economy.”

Recently, the labour unions, federal and state governments, and the private sector have been deliberating on a new minimum wage.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) proposed N494,000 as the new minimum wage, citing inflation and the prevailing economic hardship in the country, while rejecting the federal government’s proposed N60,000 offer.

On June 3, in order to press home their demands, the labor unions grounded the nation’s economy over the minimum wage dispute.

However, on June 7, state governors under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) said a N60,000 minimum wage would be unsustainable.

At the last meeting of the tripartite committee, organised labour rejected the government’s proposal for N62,000 and lowered its demand to N250,000.

Though organised labour had insisted on a N250,000 minimum wage, the Federal Government had asked the labour unions to demand a more realistic and sustainable wage.

President Bola Tinubu had also directed the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to present the cost implications for a new minimum wage.

The apex court declared that it is unconstitutional for state governors to hold onto funds meant for local government (LG) administrations.

Governors elected on the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) platform have welcomed the recent Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy.