Published 2025-05-04
Abstract
The paper examines the contending issues on local government
autonomy in Nigeria. The paper relied mainly on documentary
method of secondary sources of data collection and content
analysis to appraise the issues involved in the administrative,
political and fiscal autonomy of local governments in Nigeria.
The substantial autonomy granted local governments as the third
tier of government by the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria are been
undermined by the various state governments. The issues that are
contentious in local government autonomy are the operation of
the State Joint Local Government Account (SJLGA), conduct of
local government elections by the State Independent Electoral
Commission (SIEC) and the appointment of caretaker
committees to local governments. The paper concluded that, the
management and operations of the SJLGA by the state
governments deprives local governments of fiscal autonomy, the
conduct of local government elections by SIEC and the
appointment of caretaker committee or Chairmen by the state
governments. These denies local governments periodic free and
fair election to democratically elect credible people as leaders
and consequently, erodes local government autonomy in gross
violation of the Constitution. The paper recommended
constitutional amendments to enhance local government
autonomy.