On Ondo State’s treatment of local government funds

By : Sunday Ayodele Enikanselu

Date: 1 December 2025 4:37am WAT

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Olukayode Ajulo

Olukayode Ajulo

Sir: I wish to express my profound appreciation to Mr. Ade Ajulo, an erudite legal practitioner and respected civil society advocate, for his forthrightness and clarity during his appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on October 28, 2025, where he raised grave concerns regarding the handling of Local Government funds by the Ondo State Government.

If the figures and accounts presented by Mr. Ajulo are accurate—that Local Governments receiving allocations in excess of N400 million are having less than N10 million released to them—then this is not merely a financial anomaly. It constitutes a constitutional infraction and a profound betrayal of public trust reposed in the Ondo State Government by the people at the grassroots. We, the concerned citizens of Ondo State, stand in solidarity with Mr. Ajulo in demanding full accountability and immediate rectification of this anomaly.

According to Barrister Ajulo, the alleged justification given by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Amidu Takuro— that the State Government is “warehousing” these funds for capital projects—is not only untenable but also betrays a fundamental misunderstanding, and indeed a disrespect, for the autonomy of the third tier of government.

The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) clearly recognises Local Governments as a distinct and independent tier of government. By unilaterally deciding to warehouse Local Government funds, the Ondo State Government has, in effect, positioned itself as a sole administrator over the 18 Local Government Areas. This action is a blatant violation of both the spirit and letter of the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution, which outlines the statutory functions and fiscal responsibilities of Local Governments.

The illogicality of this so-called “warehousing” argument becomes glaring when juxtaposed with a simple constitutional parallel: why is the Federal Government not warehousing state allocations for capital projects? The answer is obvious—such an act would be unconstitutional, arbitrary, and an abuse of power. The same reasoning applies at the state–local government interface. The Ondo State Government’s paternalistic disposition effectively reduces elected Local Government Chairmen to mere subordinates of the Commissioner’s office, which is a travesty of democratic governance.

This policy, in practice, paralyses Local Governments. How can a Local Government Chairman effectively cater to the pressing needs of their people—maintaining primary healthcare centres, rehabilitating rural roads, managing primary schools, and ensuring sanitation—with less than 2.5% of their constitutionally guaranteed allocation?

This conduct does not merely short-change Local Governments; it systematically disempowers them, leaving them as the proverbial toothless bulldogs incapable of delivering tangible impact at the grassroots.

The disturbing revelations made by Barrister Ajulo are not merely matters of policy disagreement; they point to a systemic disenfranchisement with dire developmental and democratic consequences.

The Ondo State Government must recognise that the primary purpose of Local Government allocations is to bring governance and development closest to the people. By withholding these funds, the State Government is deliberately stifling development, especially in rural and semi-urban communities, thereby entrenching poverty and underdevelopment.

Furthermore, when Local Government funds are centrally controlled and expended by the state, it erodes accountability. Who should the citizens hold responsible for the absence of projects in their communities—the faceless state bureaucrats or the Local Government Chairmen denied access to their lawful resources?

Beyond this, such conduct ridicules our federal system. It dangerously concentrates power at the state level, undermining the principle of devolution of power that is fundamental to Nigeria’s democratic structure.

In th light of these incontrovertible facts, we join our voice with that of Mr. Ajulo and other concerned citizens in demanding immediate corrective action from the Ondo State Government.

Sunday Ayodele Enikanselu, a retired Professor, wrote from Lagos.

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