By Nwamulunamma Ogbunkalese
Amobi Nzelu Esq, Principal Partner at Chinenye Chambers, Abuja, has weighed in on the Senate Committee on Constitutional Review’s planned public hearing among others, local government autonomy.
He believes that the Supreme Court’s judgment on the matter is clear: local governments are autonomous. According to Nzelu, the Constitution recognizes three tiers of government in Nigeria: federal, state, and local governments. However, governors often overstep their boundaries and hijack funds meant for local governments, claiming they are an integral part of them.
Nzelu’s stance is that the Senate should respect the Supreme Court’s decision and allow local governments to function autonomously. This view is particularly relevant given the upcoming public hearings, where Nigerians will have the opportunity to share their perspectives on proposed constitutional amendments, including local government autonomy.
The Senate Committee on Constitutional Review, chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibril, will hold public hearings in each geopolitical zone from July 4th to 5th, 2025. The hearings aim to gather citizens’ input on various bills, including those related to local government autonomy, state police, and devolution of power.