Politics
Ibori Bombs Supreme Court, APC
Former governor of Delta State, James Onanefe Ibori has come down hard on the Supreme Court of Nigeria (SCN) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the fiscal autonomy granted to Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas.
Following the handing down of the SCN’s decision on the matter on Thursday, the publisher of Daily Independent took to his verified X handle to vent his disappointment at the architects of what he termed “a severe setback on the principle of federalism” as enshrined in the Constitution.
Ibori could not hide his anger at the SCN’s decision, which he stated ran contrary to section 162(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
In the tweet, which was signed with his full names, James Onanefe Ibori, he wondered why the apex court should turn blind eyes to section 162(6) of the constitution which states that, “Each State shall maintain a special account to be called “State Joint Local Government Account” into which shall be paid all allocations to the Local Government Councils of the State from the Federation Account and from the Government of the State.”
It is the considered opinion of the respected godfather of Delta politics that “The court’s ruling on the matter is an assault on true federalism.”
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He expressed optimism that the ruling would be reviewed sooner than later to right the wrongs.
“It is my sincere hope that the judgement delivered today will be reviewed at the earliest time possible because it clearly stands the concept of federalism on its head,” he stated.
Ibori wrote, “The Supreme Court has dealt a severe setback on the principle of federalism as defined by section 162(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The section expressly provides thus:
“Any amount standing to the credit of the Federation Account shall be distributed among the Federal and State Governments and the Local Government Councils in each State on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly”.
“Sections 6 provide further clarity on the subject matter.
(6) Each State shall maintain a special account to be called “State Joint Local Government Account” into which shall be paid all allocations to the Local Government Councils of the State from the Federation Account and from the Government of the State.
“The court’s ruling on the matter is an assault on true federalism. The federal government has no right to interfere with the administration of Local Governments in under any guise whatsoever. There are only two tiers of government in a federal system of government.
“I’m opposed to fiddling with the allocations to the Joint LG Accounts at the state level but that in itself does not call for this death knell to the clear provisions of section 162 of the constitution. The implications of the ruling are far reaching and the issues that readily come to mind are:
“1. Constitutional Interpretation: The Supreme Court’s ruling appears to contradict the explicit provisions of Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution. This raises questions about judicial interpretation and whether the court has overstepped its bounds in reinterpreting clear constitutional language.
“2. Balance of Power: The ruling potentially shifts the balance of power between the federal government and states. By allowing federal intervention in local government finances, it arguably centralizes more power at the federal level, contrary to the principles of federalism.
“3. State Autonomy: This decision could be seen as an erosion of state autonomy. States are meant to have significant control over their internal affairs, including the administration of local governments, in a federal system.
“4. Financial Independence: The ruling may impact the financial independence of states and local governments. If the federal government can directly intervene in local government finances, it could potentially use this as a tool for political leverage.
“5. Precedent Setting: This decision could set a precedent for further federal interventions in areas traditionally reserved for state governance, potentially leading to a more centralized system of government over time.
“That Local Governments must be “democratically elected” goes without saying. Yes, I agree, that’s the position of the constitution but withholding their allocation is not the way to go. It’s wrong.
“In the coming days, we will begin to fully understand the implications of the Supreme Court decision. An assault on the constitution is not the answer to fiddling with the Joint LG Account. If the ruling is saying Governors cannot temper, touch, fiddle with the Joint Accounts, that’s fine because they shouldn’t be doing that in the first place. But asking the Federal Government to pay Local Governments allocations to the account of the Local Government directly will lead to utter chaos and avoidable friction in governance.
“Like the Hon. Justice Oputa JSC of blessed memory once said in describing the Supreme Court ” we are not final because we are infallible, but we are infallible only because we are final”.
“It is my sincere hope that the judgement delivered today will be reviewed at the earliest time possible because it clearly stands the concept of federalism on its head.”
Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign, has warned that Peter Obi may not be able to defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election if he contests without a broader opposition alliance.
Okonkwo made the statement during an interview with Ibeju Upgrade Media, amid renewed efforts by opposition figures to form a coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to him, a united opposition front remains the only realistic strategy for defeating Tinubu at the polls.
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He argued that Obi would face difficulties securing enough support in Northern Nigeria if he chooses to contest against Tinubu alone.
“Coalition is the only way out,” Okonkwo said, while referring to Tinubu’s political approach and his previous comments about the nature of political power.
He further dismissed the possibility of Obi defeating Tinubu on his own, even if former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso joins him as running mate.
“So, if Peter Obi goes against Tinubu alone, Tinubu will eat him like biscuits,” Okonkwo said.
He questioned whether Obi would receive sufficient support in Kano, noting that the former Anambra State governor did not secure the state in the 2023 presidential election.
“Will Kano people accept Peter Obi? In 2023, when we had the opportunity, they did not accept him. In 2027, they will not accept him,” he added.
Okonkwo also played down Kwankwaso’s political influence, claiming that the former Kano governor had lost some of his strength, including in his home state.
“Kwankwaso has nothing to contribute to the ticket. Even in Kano, Kwankwaso has lost,” he said.
His comments come as opposition politicians continue discussions over the possibility of forming a coalition ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The Osun State chapter of the Accord Party has cautioned its members against anti-party activities in the forthcoming National and State Assembly elections.
A government house statement released in Osogbo on Wednesday added that the party warned that all members must support Accord candidates at the polls.
Rising from a closed door stakeholders’ meeting, the party noted several reports of Accord members allegedly backing candidates from PDP, APM, APP and even APC, directing that those members or leaders caught in such acts will face severe disciplinary actions.
The meeting presided over by Governor Ademola Adeleke passed a resolution that all disagreements over selection of legislative candidates should be resolved and the party must unite behind the candidates already fielded by the party.
Under no circumstances should any Accord member be caught sponsoring or working for legislative candidates of other political parties. Such behaviour will not be tolerated, the stakeholders meeting resolved.
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The meeting further directed a small committee to work on constituencies where such abnormalities are noted and take appropriate measures to stop the menace and even sanction the culprits if they persist in such anti-party conduct.
The Accord leadership in the state was also directed to activate monitoring actions to identify those involved in such conduct and call them to order as urgently as possible.
Meanwhile, Gov Adeleke used the Forum to register his gratitude to party members for their steadfast support during the turbulent electioneering process.
“I am deeply grateful to our party members for their depth of loyalty and courageous disposition throughout the democratic struggle. Osun people trusted us and they fought for us under the divine direction of God Almighty.
“We praise God Almighty, the courageous people of Osun state, the electoral commission and you, our loyal party members and leaders. I will remain steadfast in my commitment to the people, the party and God almighty.
“I task us to support our party candidates in the forthcoming legislative elections. We must avoid anti-party activities. Severe sanction awaits any party member who works against the candidates of the party.
“I have also tasked our candidates to reach out to all segments of the party. We must run an inclusive campaign. All shades of opinion must be mobilised for resounding success in future elections”, the governor admonished leaders at the stakeholders’ forum.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised the alarm over a fake online recruitment notice claiming that the commission has commenced the recruitment and training of ad-hoc staff ahead of the 2027 General Election.
INEC issued the warning on Monday, August 31, 2026, following the circulation of a message online directing prospective applicants to a website purportedly created for the recruitment exercise.
The electoral commission dismissed the information as false, stressing that the recruitment notice and website did not originate from it.
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In a statement, INEC said, “The attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been drawn to a message circulating online claiming that the Commission is currently recruiting and training ad-hoc staff for the 2027 General Election.”
The commission further clarified that the website being circulated is not its official recruitment portal.
“This information is not from INEC. The website/link being circulated is NOT an official INEC recruitment portal,” INEC stated.
The electoral body warned Nigerians against clicking on the link or providing personal information through the platform, particularly as fraudulent recruitment websites can be used to obtain sensitive details or solicit payments.
“Members of the public are strongly advised NOT to click on the link, submit personal information, upload documents or make any payment through the platform,” the commission warned.
INEC advised members of the public to rely only on its verified communication channels and official websites for information concerning recruitment and election-related activities.
“INEC’s official recruitment and election-related announcements are published through the Commission’s verified communication channels and official websites,” it said.
The commission directed Nigerians seeking authentic information to visit its official website, inecnigeria.org.
INEC also noted that it had previously warned the public about fraudulent websites and fake recruitment advertisements purporting to originate from the commission.
The electoral body urged Nigerians to disregard the latest notice and avoid further circulating it.
“Please disregard and do not circulate this false recruitment notice,” INEC said.
The commission concluded its warning with an appeal to Nigerians to verify the authenticity of online information before clicking on links or submitting personal details.
“Stay informed. Stay safe. Always verify before you click,” INEC stated.
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