Abia Local Councils May Have Federal Allocations Withheld

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

There are strong fears and apprehension that Local Councils in Abia state may have their monthly Federal Allocations seized by the end of October 2024.

This follows equally strong signs that the State may not be able to meet the Supreme Court’s dateline for Local Governments to inaugurate elected officials on, or before the end of October 2024.

The Source reports that the nation’s apex court had, on Thursday, June 20, 2024 ruled in a landmark judgment to reaffirm the financial autonomy of local councils in the country.

The Court had ordered among other things that all Federal accruals to the Councils be remitted directly to them, thus putting paid to the much abused States/Local Government Joint Account Committee JAAC.

Similarly ,the Supreme Court ruled that only Local Councils under the leadership of democratically elected officials will be eligible to receive their monthly Federal Allocations.

Going by the facts of the Judgment, the dateline for elected officials to take over at the Council level, or have their accruals withheld is October ending.

Instructively, since the Supreme Court’s pronouncement, several States have either held and/ or at the verge of holding local polls so as to avoid the withholding of their Local Councils’ Federal Allocations.

The Source further reports that many states across the country have billed their Local Government elections for between September 21, and October 5, 2024,.

Kano State which had originally planned to hold the exercise on November 30, had to bring  down the date to October 24.

According to the Chairman of Kano State Independent Electoral Commission KANSIEC, Prof Sani Malumfashi, the downwards review of the date is to meet with the October ending commencement date of the implementation of the Supreme Court judgement.

Already, the Federal Government has set up an implementation Committee for the Apex Court’s judgement to be coordinated by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

But despite the frenzy among many State Governments to beat the deadline, Abia appears somewhat detached and unperturbed.

For the records, the Abia State Electoral Commission, ABSIEC, was only reconstituted on September 12, 2024, by the state Governor Dr Alex Otti,.

While inaugurating the Prof George Chima-led ABSIEC, Governor Otti tasked the members to  live above board, as doing otherwise will amount to committing suicide.

” Particularly to the Board  Members of ABSIEC, you will come under heavy pressure. People would want you to compromise.  They will bring money to you .

“They will promise you heaven on earth, but you must know that the very day you succumb, you would have committed suicide and it will be just a matter of time before you find your way out. But I do know that all of you are going to excel in this assignment” Governor Otti noted .

However, there have been growing concerns that the electoral body may not be able to conduct an acceptable and credible polls before October ending.

With less than six weeks to the October dateline ,the electoral body ,is yet to hit the ground running.

Election timetable and other logistical arrangements have not been unveiled.

Crucial meetings  between the electoral umpire, political parties and other relevant stakeholders have been holding rather in snail-like speed.

Consensus have not been reached on the commencement of sale of nomination forms by political parties, screening of aspirants and party primaries to select candidates, even with only few weeks left before the commencement of the no-elected officials, no-Federation Allocations for Local Governments.

Among many stakeholders, and observers alike, it is highly doubtful for the ABSIEC, under the present circumstances, to beat the October dateline for the conduct of council polls.

Several efforts to speak with the Chairman of the Electoral Body, Prof Chima on the development were unsuccessful as at the time of reporting.