LG Autonomy: Osun Federal Lawmaker Wole Oke Urges States to Comply with Supreme Court Ruling

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs and member representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun State, Rt. Hon. Busayo Oluwole Oke, has called on state governments across the country to fully comply with the Supreme Court’s judgments on Local Government autonomy, stressing that such rulings are binding and not subject to legislative or executive discretion.

In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Friday and titled “Local Government Autonomy and the Rule of Law: Why States Must Comply, Not Confront,” Oke said Nigeria’s constitutional democracy is anchored on the supremacy of the Constitution and the finality of judicial interpretation. He emphasized that once the Supreme Court has given a ruling, all arms and levels of government are duty-bound to obey it.

He noted that recent pronouncements by the apex court on the administration and financial autonomy of Local Governments have reignited national debates, but maintained that personal or political opinions cannot override constitutional obligations.

According to him, “Under Section 235 of the 1999 Constitution, the Supreme Court is the final court of the land. Its decisions are neither advisory nor optional; they constitute the authoritative interpretation of the Constitution.”

The lawmaker warned that no State House of Assembly, including that of Osun State, has the constitutional authority to enact laws that override, dilute or circumvent Supreme Court judgments on Local Government autonomy, describing any such action as unconstitutional, null and void.

Hon. Oke, who is also the immediate past Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts (PAC), declared that the issue transcends politics and is strictly about constitutional order.

He explained that while legislatures are empowered to make laws, they cannot reopen disputes that have been conclusively interpreted by the Supreme Court through statutory maneuvers, adding that even the National Assembly lacks the power to reverse a Supreme Court judgment through ordinary legislation.

According to him, the only lawful means of altering such outcomes, where necessary, is through a transparent constitutional amendment process applied prospectively.

Oke, however, clarified that compliance with the Supreme Court’s rulings does not render state governments powerless. He said states still retain broad authority to enact laws that strengthen Local Government democracy without undermining autonomy.

He identified areas where states can lawfully legislate to include ensuring regular and credible Local Government elections, promoting transparency and independent audits, improving administrative coordination without financial control, and supporting capacity building and service delivery at the grassroots.

“What states cannot do is reintroduce control through renamed joint accounts, caretaker committees or executive gatekeeping disguised as oversight,” he cautioned.

The lawmaker called for cooperation rather than confrontation between state governments and Local Governments, advocating intergovernmental collaboration through memoranda of understanding, joint planning frameworks and technical support mechanisms that respect the independence of elected councils.

He also urged stakeholders to pursue constitutional advocacy through national dialogue where ambiguities exist, particularly in areas of fiscal federalism and revenue allocation, instead of unilateral actions by states.

“Until such amendments are lawfully enacted, the Supreme Court’s interpretation remains binding,” he stated.

Oke further noted that Local Government autonomy is intended to deepen democracy and bring governance closer to the people, adding that obedience to the rule of law strengthens democratic institutions.

“Compliance is not weakness; it is fidelity to constitutional governance and a commitment to Nigeria’s democratic future,” he concluded.