Former Delta governor Ibori, who was once convicted of fraud, blames Supreme Court ruling on LG autonomy

Former Delta State Governor James Ibori has slammed the Supreme Court’s ruling on Thursday granting full financial autonomy to local governments in the state, saying it was a “serious setback to the principles of federalism.”

Ibori, who expressed his concerns about the ruling in a post on X, said he completely disagreed with the ruling, while citing constitutional provisions to support his claim that the ruling undermined the foundations of federalism.

He stated that the Federal Government had no right to interfere in local government administration under any pretext.

He added that the ruling had “far-reaching consequences for federal-state power dynamics, as it allows federal interference in local government finances and thereby centralizes power, contrary to the principles of federalism.”

“There are only two levels of government in a federal system of government,” the former governor said.

“I am against any manipulation of the allocation of the Joint Account of Local Governments at the state level, but that in itself does not mean ending the clear provisions in Article 162 of the constitution,” he said.

“The court ruling on this issue is an attack on true federalism. The federal government has no right to interfere in the administration of local governments under any pretext. There are only two tiers of government in a federal system of government.

“I am against tinkering with the allocations for the Joint Account of Local Governments at the state level, but that in itself does not mean an end to the clear provisions of Article 162 of the constitution. The implications of the judgment are far-reaching and the issues that immediately come to mind are:

1. Constitutional Interpretation: The Supreme Court decision appears to be contrary to the explicit provisions of Article 162 of the 1999 Constitution. This raises questions about judicial interpretation and whether the court has overstepped its bounds in reinterpreting clear constitutional language.

2. Balance of Power: The ruling has the potential to change the balance of power between the federal and state governments. By allowing federal intervention in local government finances, it could be argued that it concentrates more power at the federal level, which is contrary to the principle of federalism.

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3. State Autonomy: This decision can be seen as an erosion of state autonomy. States are supposed to have significant control over their internal affairs, including local government administration, in a federal system.

4. Financial Independence: The ruling could affect the financial independence of state and local governments. If the federal government can directly intervene in local government finances, it could potentially be used as a tool of political influence.

5. Setting a Precedent: This decision could set a precedent for further federal intervention in areas traditionally reserved for state governments, potentially leading to a more centralized system of government over time.

“Local governments must be “democratically elected”, that is clear. Yes, I agree, that is the constitutional position, but withholding funds for them is not the right way. That is wrong.

“In the coming days, we will begin to fully understand the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision.

“An attack on the constitution is not the answer to tampering with the Joint Account of the Regional Government. If the ruling states that the Governor cannot change, touch, tamper with the Joint Account, that is fine because they should not have done that in the first place.

“But asking the Federal Government to pay the Local Government allocations directly into the Local Government accounts will lead to total chaos and avoidable friction in governance.

“As the Honourable Chief Justice Oputa JSC once said in describing the Supreme Court “we are not final because we are infallible, but we are infallible just because we are final”.

“I sincerely hope that the verdict delivered today will be reviewed as soon as possible because this verdict clearly goes against the concept of federalism.”

Ibori, who ruled Delta State from 1999 to 2007, was arrested in Dubai in 2010 and later extradited to Britain to face money laundering charges and allegations of stealing $250 million in public funds.

Ibori pleaded guilty to ten counts of money laundering and conspiracy to defraud at Southwark Crown Court in London on 27 February 2012, and was sentenced to 13 years in prison as a result.

Former Delta Governor Ibori, once convicted of fraud, blames Supreme Court ruling on LG autonomy first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.