Adekanmbi Challenges Alli to Show Legislative Record on Local Government Autonomy

The governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) in Oyo State, Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi, has challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, to present his legislative record on efforts to secure local government autonomy during his tenure in the Senate.

Adekanmbi accused Alli, who represents Oyo South Senatorial District, of failing to sponsor any bill aimed at advancing local government autonomy in the National Assembly in the past three years. He also alleged that the APC candidate was politicising the issue to win public support ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The APM candidate made the remarks while featuring on Political Circuit, a programme on Fresh FM Ibadan, where he questioned the basis of Alli’s advocacy for local government autonomy.

“This my egbon that is saying he is the champion of local government autonomy has been in the Senate for over three years; he has no single bill to that effect,” Adekanmbi said.

He further challenged Alli to explain how he intended to achieve local government autonomy if elected governor, given his previous experience as chairman of Ibadan North Local Government.

Adekanmbi Explains Position on Local Government Autonomy

Speaking on his approach to local government administration, Adekanmbi identified judicial, legislative and local government autonomy as three distinct areas requiring attention.

He argued that the debate over local government autonomy must go beyond campaign promises, insisting that the legal and financial implications of implementing the policy should be carefully considered.

According to him, the experience of local governments during the military era exposed significant differences in their financial capacities, particularly between urban and rural councils.

Adekanmbi claimed that some urban local governments struggled to pay workers’ salaries and pensions because of their large wage bills, while some rural councils were in a better position to meet their obligations.

He specifically alleged that Ibadan North Local Government, during Alli’s tenure as chairman, experienced salary arrears and other administrative challenges despite operating under an arrangement he described as autonomous.

Adekanmbi also referred to reports he claimed indicted the former council chairman over the management of the local government’s finances. However, he did not provide further details of the reports during the programme.

He said the financial difficulties experienced by some councils informed the adoption of the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) arrangement, through which local government allocations are pooled and shared after certain deductions.

According to Adekanmbi, the Oyo State Government under Governor Seyi Makinde continues to operate the JAAC arrangement within the existing legal framework.

Supreme Court Judgment and Constitutional Amendments

The APM candidate maintained that state governors do not have the unilateral authority to grant local governments full financial autonomy under the existing legal framework.

He referred to the Supreme Court judgment delivered in July 2024 on local government financial autonomy, arguing that effective implementation requires appropriate legislative and executive action.

“The Supreme Court ruled in 2024 that there should be direct payments to local governments, but to implement the judgment requires two fundamental things. Number one, the legislators must amend the Constitution, and secondly, the executive will implement,” he said.

Adekanmbi argued that political candidates should explain the legal, financial and administrative steps required to implement local government autonomy rather than make promises that may be beyond their direct powers.

“I am saying it live that anybody that comes and says that he wants to grant local government autonomy is mercilessly telling lies to get their votes because they know that is what they want to hear, but I will not go and promise people local government autonomy,” he stated.

Four Questions Adekanmbi Says Must Be Addressed

Outlining his proposed approach to local government administration, Adekanmbi said any meaningful reform must address four fundamental questions.

He asked how local governments would manage situations in which their allocations were insufficient to cover salaries and pensions, what mechanisms would guarantee fiscal responsibility and transparency, how council chairmen would be prevented from abusing public funds, and what would happen if federal allocations were disrupted.

The APM candidate said he had engaged residents during his visits to local governments across Oyo State and had listened to demands for greater freedom for elected council officials to manage local affairs.

He added that, if elected governor, he would explore practical ways to ensure that residents had a say in how public funds allocated to their communities were spent.

“I will ensure that the local people have a say in the spending of their money,” he said.

Adekanmbi concluded by challenging Alli to explain his proposed framework for achieving local government autonomy and account for his record as chairman of Ibadan North Local Government.

The remarks add to the emerging debate over local government administration, constitutional reform and the implementation of financial autonomy as political parties and candidates prepare for the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State.

Yinka Oladoyinbo
Director of Communication/Spokesperson
Oyo State APM Governorship Campaign Council