How corruption, political interference stifle LGs – CISLAC
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has said that the financial autonomy for Nigeria’s local governments has failed to deliver effective governance or true independence, due to systemic clogs and political interference. The Executive Director of CISLAC and head of Transparency International’s (TI) Nigeria Chapter, Mallam Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, said this on Wednesday in […]
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has said that the financial autonomy for Nigeria’s local governments has failed to deliver effective governance or true independence, due to systemic clogs and political interference.
The Executive Director of CISLAC and head of Transparency International’s (TI) Nigeria Chapter, Mallam Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, said this on Wednesday in Abuja at a stakeholders’ joint conference on local government autonomy.
He described the root issues as systemic, driven by political interference, weak institutions, poor accountability, and rampant corruption.
He noted that in many states, local governments have become extensions of state executive power, with local officials often answering to governors rather than their constituents, despite the Supreme Court ruling that granted the LGs financial autonomy.
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“Appointments, elections, budgetary allocations, and contract awards are frequently dictated by state actors. The practice of replacing elected local councils with unelected caretaker committees, often for extended periods, violates Nigeria’s Constitution.
“These practices undermine democracy and federalism, sabotaging development at the grassroots level where governance should be most impactful,” he said.
Commenting on attempts to weaken anti-corruption agencies, Rafsanjani condemned moves by some governors to challenge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in court.
He said, “If you remove the EFCC and ICPC, the country will be in trouble. We thank the Supreme Court for rejecting such efforts.
He also called for scrutiny of joint state-local government accounts, which he described as conduits for siphoning public funds.
He said, “Without transparency, autonomy remains merely symbolic. There must be reforms to ensure accountability and development.
In his remarks, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, expressed concerns, pointing out structural and operational constraints driven by state-level influence.
He said that Section 7 of Nigeria’s Constitution establishes local governments as a democratic tier, yet they face significant challenges.
“The appointment of unqualified individuals as local government chairmen and councillors, which he said contributes to systemic weaknesses.
“Inadequate electoral processes often fail to deliver free, fair, and credible elections. These flaws create opportunities for corruption to thrive,” Aliyu said.