Members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the National Council of Traditional Rulers on Wednesday met at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
The NGF Chairman, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, presided over the session, which began at approximately 3:40 pm local time.
While the official agenda of the meeting remains undisclosed, the discussions are happening as various states organize local government elections in response to a Supreme Court ruling granting fiscal autonomy to local councils.
In July 2024, the Supreme Court affirmed the financial independence of local government councils, barring state governments from controlling local funds or appointing caretaker committees in place of elected councils.
The ruling, following a case filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation, mandates that federal allocations to local governments bypass state-run joint accounts and go directly to the councils.
As a result of this decision, states have started holding elections to allow citizens to elect local leaders directly. This shift aims to strengthen local governance and ensure that funds are effectively managed at the grassroots level.
Additionally, the Senate recently made progress on a bill seeking to establish a National Council of Traditional Rulers. Sponsored by Senator Simon Lalong of Plateau South, the National Council of Traditional Rulers (Establishment) Bill, 2024 (SB. 546), passed its first reading in early October.
This bill aims to define constitutional roles for traditional institutions, empowering them to address critical national challenges, such as insecurity, peace-building, and inter-community disputes. Lalong, a former Plateau State governor and former Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, has long advocated for the constitutional inclusion of traditional rulers.
Present at the meeting were several governors, including Kaduna’s Uba Sani, Oyo’s Seyi Makinde, Adamawa’s Ahmadu Fintiri, Delta’s Sheriff Oborevwori, Gombe’s Inuwa Yahaya, Ogun’s Dapo Abiodun, along with deputy governors representing other states.
Traditional rulers were also well represented, with the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, leading the delegation of royal fathers at the roundtable talks.
