The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Services, Senator Sunday Karimi, has accused some governors and their cabals of regularly looting local government funds, describing the act as taking their “dessert” after meals.
Karimi, representing Kogi West Senatorial District, said trillions of naira meant for local governments have been misappropriated, undermining grassroots development.
Speaking while hosting constituents in his district, Karimi reaffirmed the Senate’s commitment to backing President Bola Tinubu’s position on enforcing local government financial autonomy.
He criticized governors who continue to disregard the July 2024 Supreme Court ruling directing that federal allocations go directly to councils, calling such actions unconstitutional and harmful to grassroots democracy.
Karimi warned that defaulting governors will face prosecution and stressed that parliament will enact laws compelling strict adherence to the Supreme Court judgment.
“The National Assembly will prioritise the matter of the non-adherence of certain governors across the broad spectrum, to the subsisting Supreme Court ruling on local government financial autonomy. We will back the President with relevant laws which will be retroactively effective,” he said.
He explained that the Supreme Court ruling voided state governors’ control over local government resources and caretaker committees, emphasizing the judgment’s aim to strengthen governance at the local level and ensure allocations reach elected officials without state interference.
Highlighting the consequences of continued mismanagement, Karimi said, “Some governors, their godfathers, and members of their cabals put a knife on local government funds every month, as their own ‘dessert’ after meals.”
“This has rendered the local government system dysfunctional, incapable of delivering basic services, and turned many parts of the country into ungoverned spaces prone to insecurity.”
He further detailed schemes where states allegedly process fictitious jobs through local government accounts, forcing chairmen and councillors to sign off on fraudulent vouchers worth billions of naira.
“No jobs are carried out, while funds are looted steadily and regularly. Chairmen dare not complain for fear of their lives,” Karimi added.
The senator concluded that parliament will ensure accountability, prosecute offenders, and recover stolen funds to restore functional governance at the grassroots.
