Ali Baba, the ace comedian, has revealed political strategies he claims were shared with him by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on how to become Nigeria’s president.

In an interview on Outside The Box, the 59-year-old entertainer said Obasanjo allegedly shared the strategies with him via chat because he thought he was venturing into politics and wanted to guide him.

Ali Baba claimed that Obasanjo emphasised the importance of gaining the support of seven governors, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, to clinch the presidential seat.

“I was speaking with Obasanjo one time, and he listed some things that are necessary in politics,” the comedian said while picking up his phone to show proof that he documented his conversation with the former president.

“He thought I was going into politics, so he was happy I was talking to him about politics. He said ‘Ali, I’m happy you are catching up with politics, but you still have a lot to learn about how governors and presidents are selected’.

“He said ‘you need seven governors to win an election. Lagos, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers, Kano, Kaduna and the CBN governor’. Then I said ‘Kano and Kaduna don’t have money,’ he said ‘that is for the numbers’…

“You need 44 of the most popular senatorial districts.”

The comedian, born Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, also alleged that Obasanjo mentioned the key tasks to be accomplished in the first term to increase the chances of being re-elected.

“You need to have awarded 10 contracts and 15% of that contract can give you a marginal impact at the polls. And you must award this contract in your first year of assumption of office,” he said.

“If you don’t do that, then, you can’t ask the people for anything because when you give them at the first year of your getting into office, when it’s time for elections you just tell them ‘Do you want to continue this contract or not’.”

Ali said Obasanjo emphasised the importance of making strategic appointments, including “the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), controller-general of customs, head of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), inspector-general of police (IGP), and CBN governor”.

The comedian said Obasanjo allegedly advised on steering clear of corrupt governors who are “loaded” and can be “financially useful when needed”.

“He said you must name your CJN, IGP, controller general of customs, head of the NNPC, CBN governor, and you must suspend pending cases of corrupt past governors who are loaded,” he added.

“Don’t forget that those guys have war chests that they are just sitting and waiting for who they want to align with. No matter how much EFCC milks from them, they still have plenty.

“These are people who were sitting on a monthly federal allocation. Don’t forget that some states that when they get their federal allocation, they don’t touch it.

“They actually add to it because their state’s internally generated revenue is higher than what the federal government gives to them.

“So if the federal government gives them N3, they can add N4 to it and spend N7. When they leave office, EFCC can’t come looking for them because they added money to what the federal government gave them, but you see that internally generated revenue that is their sweat as it is called, it is their money, they generated it themselves. They can determine what they want to do with it.”

Ali Baba alleged that Obasanjo highlighted the importance of securing support from key figures, including foreign countries, the wealthy, religious leaders, and bloggers.

According to him, “he also advised infiltrating opposition parties and strategically influencing delegates by offering incentives to ensure loyalty during elections”.

“This is the meaty part of it, he says ‘Get US or China support because of their businesses in your country, they would support,” he said.

“Get National Association of Nigerian Students, market women, National Union of Road Transport Workers. Unsettle the organized labour. Get 10 of the richest Nigerians on your side. Infiltrate your opposition party and let them decamp for elections.

“So let me explain. You have your party and I want to infiltrate the party. I will send my people to leave my own party and join your own party before the elections. So when the time of election comes, they will then disrupt the whole thing.

“They will probably be the ones they will put in charge of electioneering campaign and you won’t know that the reason they decamped was to make sure that your own campaign doesn’t succeed. So when you are planning, they inform their original party.

“Obasanjo continued saying infiltrate the opposition party, but delegates one year before your congress.

“So I asked how do you buy delegates then he said “you know who and who that would be selected as delegates, give two of his daughters job in the bank, give another’s wife a shop, sponsor another’s trip to Hajj so when the time for election comes and you say this is the person I’m supporting, they won’t mess up because of what you have done.

“While some people are trying to raise money to give dollars, you already have bought their loyalty since. Have a hand in appointing all parties’ chairmen.

“Secure INEC and state rec, blogs, social media, religious leaders, royal fathers, appointment of board of chairman and DGs. Get four constitutional lawyers on retainship.”

[TheCable]

Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), founder of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), has issued a warning to the Federal Government to halt the mass approval of licenses for new universities across the country, stating that the trend, if not stopped, could undermine Nigeria’s future.

Babalola gave the warning during a High Impact Research and Journal Advancement Workshop organised by the institution in Ado-Ekiti.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria expressed concern that many newly licensed institutions lacked the necessary infrastructure and facilities to deliver quality education, warning that a “quantity-over-quality” approach was dangerous.

“Approving establishment of universities without consideration for quality and infrastructure could adversely affect the country in the future, if not stopped immediately,” he said.

Referencing the era of Prof. Peter Okebukola as the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Babalola said the process was previously more rigorous and credible.

“Not only was the visitation and accreditation process rigorous, it was also impossible for anyone to obtain approval to commence degree programmes, especially in Medicine, Engineering, and Law, especially in the first few years of establishing a university. 

“But what do we have today? Mass approval of mushroom and substandard universities, with some lacking even the basic learning facilities and infrastructure,” he noted

NUC quality control compromised 

Babalola lamented that the current licensing system had weakened the NUC’s regulatory capacity, putting the integrity of Nigeria’s university system at risk.

“As a result of this anything goes syndrome, approach to university licensing and accreditation, NUC’s ability to ensure quality control, and to stamp out substandard institutions, have been seriously compromised,” he noted.

He disclosed that Nigeria currently has more than 270 universities, with about 200 new proposals pending before the National Assembly.

“The focus now seems to be on quantity, not quality, licensing more universities, without adequate plans for monitoring their standards. 

“The end result is a rapid decline and rot of our educational system, and in the quality of our graduates. 

“What we need is quality education, because poor education is worse than illiteracy,” he emphasized.

Quality research 

Babalola stressed that Nigeria’s quest for national development through research cannot be achieved without addressing the proliferation of substandard universities.

“If we are really serious about accelerating national development, through research, the starting point will be that the process of approval for university licenses should be thorough,” he noted.

What you should know 

The federal government has taken steps to expand Nigeria’s higher education sector by approving the establishment of several new universities, both federal and private, as part of a broader plan to enhance educational access and promote national development.

• Early this year, President Tinubu signed bills into law establishing two new federal universities: the Federal University of Agriculture and Development Studies in Iragbiji, Osun State, and the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences in Iyin Ekiti, Ekiti State, to promote agricultural innovation, technology-driven education, and sustainable environmental practices.
• Tinubu also approved the establishment of the Federal University of Environment and Technology in Ogoni, Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State in February 2025.
• Further expanding access, the Federal Executive Council under Tinubu granted provisional licenses to 11 new private universities across different states in March 2025. These institutions were expected to increase the options available for tertiary education in Nigeria and help bridge the gap between demand and capacity in the higher education system.

However, following the surge in private university approvals, the Federal Government announced a one-year moratorium on the registration of new private universities to give the National Universities Commission (NUC) time to review and strengthen regulatory guidelines. The moratorium aims to ensure that new universities meet the required academic standards, infrastructure needs, and capacity benchmarks before being granted licenses to operate.

[Nairametrics]

Naija News reports that this was made known by the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka.

He disclosed that Wike departed Nigeria on Sunday evening after spending time with his political allies and associates in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

[Naija News]

The Federal Government has marked 700 properties for demolition for the Lagos-Calabar Highway project.

Lagos State Controller of Works, Mrs Olukorede Kesha, disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting on the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.

According to her, the number was significantly lower than initial estimates.

“Instead of having to demolish about 1,500 houses, we took the most economical route. Now we are left with less than 700 houses to be demolished,” she said.

She lauded the pace and planning of the project, stating that Section 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which is 47 plus 400 kilometres, was awarded some time ago.

Addressing concerns over alignment and property demolition, Kesha said a lot of people complained about set alignments, but they are not duty-bound to follow any alignment.

“It was set aside when somebody else was to do it, but now that it’s the Federal Government, we have to look at the most feasible, most economical route,” she said.

Earlier, the Minister of Works, David Umahi declared that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will not only revolutionise Nigeria’s transport landscape but also generate carbon credits through its eco-friendly construction and design.

He explained that the road will ease traffic congestion and integrate multi-modal transport infrastructure.

“This project is going to evacuate all the traffic out of the town, and that will be a big plus for us. We are not only building for today. We are also building for tomorrow. And, of course, there will be a rail line in the middle. The middle is 12 metres gap,” he stated.

The minister added that some areas would also have train stations and facilities for future developments.

Addressing the challenges in Section two of the project, Umahi said the existing industrial infrastructure posed a serious challenge, noting that with Dangote refinery, one needs about 60 metres clearance for the trucks to go in and out.

He said: “We are now building a flyover that has a span of 60 metres. And then the next span is 41.6 metres, counterbalanced by the next span, and then the rest is 22, 23 metres.

“So, we are flying over Dangote’s refinery, we are flying over Dangote’s fertilizer, and we are flying over some other conflict points.”

On plans for further expansion, Umahi said there are extensive ongoing and planned projects across several states.

“We have started in Cross River, and of course, Akwa Ibom. We are going there to flag off the construction,” he stated.

Touching on the Sokoto-Badagry legacy project, the minister explained the challenges and solutions being considered.

He revealed that the third section of Sokoto-Badagry is going to start from Badagry, where there are very big challenges.

According to him, there are three kilometres of rivers across the stretch, and it would cost a lot of money to deal with them. He, however, said they have devised about four options to handle it.

Umahi said the four legacy projects are connected and inclusive, explaining that the third legacy project is the one that is coming from Calabar, going through Ebonyi, Enugu, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, and Abuja.

“The fourth legacy project goes from Abuja to Makurdi, Keffi, Akwanga, Jos, Bauchi, and Gombe. The four legacy projects are all connected together and no region is left aside,” he said.

The minister issued a stern warning against the misuse of infrastructure.

[Guardian]

The Nigerian government has said that it was considering an adjustment to its N54.99trn 2025 national budget as part of measures to respond to potential shocks of the United States’ global trade tariff hike.

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, gave the hint on Monday at a Corporate Governance Forum organised by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) in Abuja.

Edun also acknowledged that the adverse effect of the US tariff on Nigeria will be through oil price plunge. He claimed that the government was making efforts to ramp up crude oil production to curtail any price effect.

“We are also focusing on non-oil revenue mobilisation by FIRS and Customs.

“Budget adjustment and prioritisation where possible, and also innovative non-debt financing strategies,” Edun listed the possible counter measures at the event that was held at Transcorp Hilton in Abuja on Monday.

Recall that US President Donald Trump had last week announced general global tariffs on all imports into the country, including Nigeria.

Nigeria-US trade has been in surplus in the last three years (2022-2024). According to official data, Nigeria’s export to the US is between $5bn to $6bn annually.

“Consequently, the tariff effect on exports is negligible if we sustain our oil and minerals export volume,” Edun told the gathering.

However, he claimed that Nigeria was positioned to withstand global trade disruptions, including the new United States import tariffs, a position that triggered a murmured disagreement from the crowd present at the event.

He said the administration was determined to attract investment, not just through policy rhetoric but by demonstrating corporate readiness and governance in state-owned enterprises.

Edun stressed that Nigeria remained relatively insulated due to early reforms and a shift in economic strategy.

The minister said that the government was prioritising non-oil revenue mobilisation through the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to mitigate potential revenue shortfalls.

Edun said Nigeria was already pivoting its economic model toward private sector-led growth, equity-based financing, and strategic asset optimisation.

According to Edun, while the government accounts for 10 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP), the private sector contributes 90 per cent.

He credited President Bola Tinubu’s administration with stabilising key macroeconomic indicators and laying the groundwork for sustainable growth.

[Leadership]

A high court sitting in Jos, Plateau State, has adjourned the trial over the murder of Major-General Idris Alkali (rtd) to May 28 and 29, 2025, for the defendants to open their defence.

The adjournment followed the continued cross-examination of retired Major-General U. I. Mohammed on Wednesday. Before this, the prosecution had formally closed its case.

General Alkali, who was the former Chief of Administration at the Nigerian Army Headquarters, was declared missing just weeks after retiring from active service.

He had embarked on a journey from Abuja to Bauchi, passing through Plateau State, where he was last heard from during the trip. He was driving a black Toyota Corolla car.

At the time of his disappearance in 2018, General Mohammed (then a brigadier-general) was the Garrison Commander of the 3 Division and led the search-and-rescue mission for the missing officer.

His efforts led to the discovery of Alkali’s car in a deep mining pit in Du community and, later, his body in an abandoned well at Guchwet village in Shen district of Jos South LGA of Plateau State. During Monday’s proceedings, the defence counsel extensively cross-examined General Mohammed regarding inconsistencies and clarifications related to his previous statements and testimonies concerning Alkali’s death.

The questioning, which lasted for about two hours, focused on both his initial and subsequent accounts of the incident.

After the session, Justice Arum Ashom excused the witness and scheduled the next hearing.

Prosecuting counsel, Simon Mom, who represented the Plateau State Attorney General, did not object to the adjournment.

The judge subsequently adjourned the case to May 28 and 29 for the defence to begin presenting its case.

[DailyTrust]

Pascal Dozie, a renowned Nigerian entrepreneur and business leader has died. He was 86.

According to sources close to the deceased, Dozie died after a battle with old age-related illness.

Dozie, was a man of many parts, best known for founding Diamond Bank and serving as chairman of Pan-Atlantic University.

He was born on April 9, 1939, in Egbu, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. Dozie’s educational background includes a degree in Economics from the London School of Economics and a master’s in Administrative Science from City University in London.

Dozie also founded theAfrican Development Consulting Group, which worked with notable clients like Nestle and Pfizer. He served as MTN Group chairman but later resigned and was succeeded by Ernest Ndukwe.

Dozie received the prestigious National Award of the Order of the Niger (OON) for his contributions to Nigeria’s banking industry.

Dozie is survived by his wife Chinyere Dozie, and five children among other relatives.

[businessday.ng]

For centuries, the Kano Durbar has stood as a majestic symbol of northern Nigeria’s cultural pride—an annual celebration marked by regal horsemen, rhythmic drumming, and crowds of admirers drawn from across the globe but for the second consecutive year, that legacy has been paused.

Once again, silence replaced the thunder of hooves and the color of tradition, as the famed Sallah Durbar was cancelled due to security concerns. The decision, announced by the Kano state Police command just days before the festival, has triggered waves of disappointment among tourists, culture custodians, and tourism experts alike.

Tourists Left in the Cold

More than 160 tourists; many of whom had travelled thousands of miles—had arrived in Kano, eager to witness the historic spectacle. Instead, they were met with abrupt disappointment.

“I was terribly disappointed,” said Virgil Taylor, an African-American tourist from the United States.

“As a Black man living in America, it was empowering to come to Kano and witness a celebration of African royalty and heritage. I planned this trip for over a year. The cancellation crushed me,” Taylor said.

Taylor was not alone in his frustration. Among those affected was Lekan Okanlawon, a UK-based Nigerian who had come with a team of polo players and horse riders to attempt setting a Guinness World Record for the largest horse-riding procession.

“We had shipped our horses from the UK,” he lamented.

Speaking further, he said, “We were inspired by the global potential of the Durbar. UNESCO has already recognized it as part of its heritage program. But the sudden cancellation was a huge letdown.”

Economic Ripples Across the City

Beyond the cultural cost, the cancellation has affected the local economy. Traders, hoteliers, and artisans who usually benefit from the influx of guests during the Durbar reported heavy losses.

Yusuf Ibrahim Lajawa, a tourism expert based in Kano, explained the far-reaching impact, “Durbar season is one of the most profitable periods for small businesses. From food vendors to traditional crafts people, everyone benefits from the massive turnout. The suspension doesn’t only hurt culture—it hits livelihoods.”

Lajawa called on government and security stakeholders to find lasting solutions. “This isn’t just about a festival. It’s about heritage, tourism, and economic development. We urge those in power to take action and restore this glorious tradition in full force,” he said.

The Security Dilemma

Security authorities have defended their decision, citing intelligence reports and fears of a possible clash due to the presence of two rival emirs reportedly planning separate Durbar processions.

“We had to act in the interest of public safety, The potential for unrest was too high.” the police maintained.

In a bid to salvage the situation, the 16th Emir of Kano led a modest Eid motorcade. But the alternative procession lacked the grandeur, symbolism, and tourist appeal of the Durbar, leaving many observers underwhelmed.

Preserving a Priceless Legacy

Ahmad Yusuf, Executive Secretary of the Kano State History and Culture Bureau, expressed regret over the repeated cancellations, noting the loss of cultural and economic value.

“We acknowledge the concerns and the disappointment,” he said. “The Durbar is a cultural asset that deserves protection and promotion. Our hope is to work closely with stakeholders to ensure its safe return.”

Founded over five centuries ago, the Kano Durbar is more than a festival—it is a living narrative of tradition, royalty, and communal identity. For decades, it has attracted the admiration of scholars, tourists, and photographers from across the world.

But with back-to-back suspensions, tourism experts now worry that the city’s cultural brand could erode.

“This is not just Kano’s loss. It’s Nigeria’s loss,” said Okanlawon.

According to him, “No other country can showcase this level of royal equestrian culture. If properly managed, it can put Nigeria on the world tourism map.”

The UNESCO-recognized Durbar has over the years served as a magnet for culture enthusiasts from around the world. It is not just a celebration but a convergence of heritage, pride, and economic potential.

With back-to-back cancellations, experts warn that Kano risks losing its place as a premier cultural destination unless deliberate efforts are made to revive and secure the Durbar.

“This is a call to action. The Durbar is our crown jewel. It deserves to shine again,” Lajawa said.

[DailyPost]

A Nigerian court has adjourned a tax evasion case against Binance to April 30 to allow the local tax authority to respond to a request by the cryptocurrency exchange to annul an order for court documents to be served on it by email, a lawyer for Binance said on Monday.

The lawyer, Chukwuka Ikwuazom, asked the court to set aside the order because the tax authority did not obtain a leave from the court to serve court documents on Binance outside Nigeria. Binance does not have a physical office in Nigeria.

“On the whole the order for the substituted service as granted by the court on February 11, 2025 on Binance who is … registered under the laws of Cayman Islands and resident in Cayman Islands is improper and should be set aside,” Ikwuazom said.

Nigeria has filed a lawsuit seeking to compel Binance to pay $79.5 billion for economic losses it says were caused by its operations in the country and $2 billion in back taxes, according to court documents.

Authorities blame Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, for Nigeria’s currency instability and detained two of its executives in 2024 after cryptocurrency websites emerged as platforms of choice for trading the local naira currency.

Binance, which is not registered in Nigeria, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It has previously said it is working with Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service to resolve potential historic tax liabilities.

The inland revenue service alleges in documents seen by Reuters that Binance has a “significant economic presence” in Nigeria and is therefore liable for corporate income tax. It is seeking a court declaration that Binance pay income taxes for 2022 and 2023, plus a 10% annual penalty on unpaid amounts.

[TheNation]

The challenges facing the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy have assumed a new dimension, with some state governors explicitly warning their council chairmen against opening an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria for the direct payment of their allocations from the Federation Account.

The latest development represents yet another significant hurdle, nearly nine months after the Supreme Court granted full autonomy to the 774 local governments across the country, paving the way for direct payment of federal allocations.

As part of the Federal Government’s commitment to the Supreme Court judgment, a panel was set up to ensure the implementation of LG autonomy.

In line with its recommendation, the panel directed the Central Bank of Nigeria to open accounts for the 774 LGs for direct payment of their allocation.

This process has, however, faced delays with the CBN and LGs trading accusations.

The immediate-past Account-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein and the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and other officials recently commenced talks on the modalities for the LGAs to open accounts with the CBN for direct allocation but are reportedly facing challenges identifying LGAs with democratically elected officials.

A Federation Account Allocation Committee Technical Sub-Committee meeting revealed that only Delta State LGAs had submitted their account details.

Amid the controversy,  fresh investigations by The PUNCH on Monday revealed that some governors have resorted to intimidation and coercion, pressuring their local government chairmen to refrain from opening the designated accounts for direct allocation payment.

Several local government chairmen who spoke with our correspondents on the condition of anonymity, out of fear of victimisation, said their respective governors have instructed them not to open accounts with the CBN for the direct receipt of their allocations.

One chairman revealed that a governor in the South-East region refused to accept 50 percent of the monthly allocations, which was part of the agreement intended to facilitate the opening of the accounts for direct payment.

“Our governor has threatened us (all the chairmen in the state) not to open accounts with the CBN for the direct payment of our allocation”, one of the chairmen of South-East states, who pleaded anonymity, told one of our correspondents.

“We even tried to beg him, seeking to strike a deal, such that if he allows us to open the account with the CBN and our allocations are paid directly, we will remit 50 per cent of the LG allocation to him monthly, but he disagreed. So, this is where we are for now,” the LG chair added.

Further investigations reveal that a significant number of governors are strongly opposed to the opening of CBN accounts, fearing it would sever their long-standing access to local government funds.

However, a negligible number of governors are said to be disposed to the idea of their LGAs opening the CBN accounts.

The PUNCH had reported how some governors met with President Bola Tinubu recently and said they preferred the LGs to open accounts with commercial banks instead of the CBN.

It is unclear if the President is positively disposed to the idea.

Meanwhile, another LG chair, who spoke to The PUNCH on the condition of anonymity, explained that the CBN’s stringent conditions might be one of the reasons the governors were not positively disposed to the idea, aside from the fact that it will cut off their access to  LG funds.

A chairman in one of the local government areas in South-West disclosed that the council chairmen in the state have not opened accounts with CBN due to the stringent conditions set by the apex bank.

The chairman said one of the stringent demands is the submission of a two-month statement of account from each local government area, which was not available.

“But as simple as that condition may look, all council areas here in our state can’t meet up. The situation is not peculiar to our state. If you check well, most states can’t meet up simply because their governors are the ones spending their allocation.

“They are only giving those in LGAs whatever they feel like giving them. That is the problem,” the LG boss said.

Other local governments have cited various reasons for the delay in opening CBN accounts. One council chairman in Benue State, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, alleged that certain parties are working together to hinder the process.

He said, “Chairmen across the country are aware that state governors are trying to frustrate the financial autonomy of local government areas. What they are pushing for is for council chairmen to open their accounts in commercial banks where they can easily have access to control the councils’ money.

“They know that the moment the money is paid to CBN, it will go directly to us, and they will not have access to it. So, that is the reason the governors are frustrating the move.”

However, the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees in Nasarawa State has said it is fully compliant with the directive to open accounts and is prepared to receive funds from the Federal Government.

The NULGE Chairman in the state, Adamu  Sharhabilu, who disclosed this to our correspondent in Lafia on Monday, revealed that the state government and the House of Assembly have been working in collaboration with local government workers to ensure that local government autonomy is fully realized in the state, showing a unified effort to support the implementation of the Supreme Court’s ruling.

He noted, however, that despite the cooperation at the state level, the local government councils have yet to begin receiving their allocations directly from the Federal Government

The NULGE chair said, “As I speak with you, all the LG accounts had been opened because we thought that the Federal Government will send our money there, but up till this moment, no LG in Nasarawa State has received allocation directly from the FG.

“For now, there are no obvious plans by the Nasarawa State government to short-change the local government workers or frustrate the LG Autonomy implementation in the state. From our own observation, the governor has been working towards ensuring that local government workers get what is due to them and also enjoy all the benefits of the LG autonomy.

“The monthly allocations are usually sent to the Joint Accounts under the State Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. No local government has received funds from the Federation Account.’’

However, another local government chairman in the state, speaking anonymously, attributed the delay to the government’s failure to follow through on its promises.

The official stated, “What we are facing now is the fault of the Federal Government because the federal allocation committee is supposed to send the money straight to the local governments, not the joint account. We have so many accounts to receive the money, but they refused to send the money to the local government coffers.”

He, therefore, urged the Federal Government to align itself with the Supreme Court’s judgment and allow for the full implementation of the LG autonomy by ensuring that the funds are paid directly to the LGAs.

 Findings showed that many state chairmen are unaware of the current stage of policy implementation.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, Kwara State chapter, Seun Oyinlade, hinted that no council has opened an account with the CBN.

Speaking on the phone on Monday, Oyinlade said, “We are not aware that any of the 16 local government councils in the state have opened an account with the CBN. We do not know if the local government councils in the state operate an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria.”

He said he could not confirm if the state governor was similarly opposed to the direct payment of allocation to the councils.

“Though we heard it as a rumour that governors are trying to frustrate the implementation of the local government autonomy, we are yet to verify the claim. We will confirm if the local government councils have accounts with the CBN when allocation from the Federation Account is paid to them,” he said.

A local government worker in Damaturu, Yobe State, revealed that March salaries were paid through the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, rather than directly from the local governments’  accounts.

He said, “This is a setback in the implementation of the Supreme Court’s ruling aimed at granting more autonomy to local governments.”

“Even the new minimum wage implementation, local government staff members are yet to benefit from it. The state civil servants have benefited from the new minimum wage approved by the Federal Government. This development has brought some relief to state employees.”

In Zamfara, local government chairmen confirmed that they have yet to open accounts with the CBN.

The state’s ALGON chairman, Alhaji Samaila Moriki, who also serves as the chairman of Zurmi Local Government Area, told The PUNCH that they were still awaiting further instructions before proceeding with the opening of accounts.

He said, “We have yet to open accounts with the CBN because we are waiting for further directives and instructions. Everything is done through due process, and we are waiting for the directives from above. So, that is why we have yet to open accounts with the CBN. We will do that later when things become normal.”

He, however, declined to make further comments on the directives and instructions they were waiting for.

Furthermore, the 44 local government councils in Kano State have yet to open an account with the CBN.

The chairman of Garko LGA,  Saminu Garko, confirmed this, stating,  “None of the 44 local government councils in the state has opened accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria. But we heard that the apex bank has opened an account for all local governments, and what remains is to regularise the accounts.

“Moreso, the Central Bank of Nigeria has not invited any of the local government chairmen in the state for the regularisation of the accounts, let alone verification of signatories.

‘’We just read in the newspapers that the bank is inviting local government chairmen for the verification exercise.”

He noted that since the Local governments have not opened the accounts with the bank, there was no way the chairmen could be invited for the verification of signatories.

But the ALGON in Jigawa State denied that the governor threatened local government chairmen against opening accounts with the CBN.

The ALGON state chairman, Prof. Abdulrahman Salim, assured that the account opening process is ongoing. “Everything is okay, and our local government areas are still visiting the CBN state headquarters to complete the necessary procedures,” he explained.

 Salim added that “All 774 local government councils, including the 27 in Jigawa State, are expected to open dedicated accounts with the CBN for direct disbursement of funds from the Federation Account as we were directed.

 “Jigawa State’s 27 local government areas are taking steps to open CBN accounts, which will enable them to receive direct allocations and manage their finances independently.”

“The CBN has been instrumental in facilitating local government autonomy by providing a platform for local governments to open accounts and receive direct allocations,” he stressed further.

“The delay in opening CBN accounts has been attributed to administrative bottlenecks, including the failure of the apex bank to fix a date for the biometric data capturing to complete the process.”

He claimed that nearly all the necessary steps had been completed, with only biometric capturing remaining for some local governments, adding that “the chairmen are currently waiting for the CBN to schedule a date for them to revisit the office for biometric data capturing.”

The NULGE leadership in Jigawa State could not be reached to confirm Salim’s claims.

However, a NULGE official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, quipped, “It will not come to us as a surprise if governors really don’t want the local government autonomy, they can change the process entirely.”