Abia State Gov Alex Otti may face possible sanctions over his failure to conduct local government Council elections before the October ending deadline in line with the Supreme Court judgement granting financial autonomy to the LGAs.


Mr Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, disclosed the plan of the Federal Government as the State may not meet the  October 31 deadline for the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment.


The Supreme Court has granted financial autonomy to LGA's  and compelled the Federal Government to withhold allocations of LGAs where election had not been held


Other  eight governors who failed to meet the deadline will also face sanctions


The Federal Government's deadline after the Supreme Court judgement is to  ensure that local governments receive their allocations directly from the Federation account rather in line with the judgement


According to Fagbemi, on Tuesday, October 22, there is  no going back on the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment that granted autonomy to LGAs. The Punch reported that no less than 146 local governments in eight States are yet to conduct local government elections.


There are also reports that October 31 has been set as the deadline to commence the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment and States that refused to comply would stop their local governments if it is  not under  elected administration from getting their Federal allocations. Below is the full list of the eight states and their governors:

Abia State has scheduled it's LG elections for November 2


Ondo State governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa may be sanctioned, going by Fagbemi’s words. The governor  has not conducted a council election despite approaching the deadline.


Recall that Ondo State has shifted its LG  election four times. The council poll was first scheduled for December 16, 2023, before being shifted to February 17, 2024. The poll was later postponed to July 13, 2024, before its indefinite suspension. However, on August 30, the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) announced that the election would be conducted on January 18, 2025. Ondo state has 18 local governments.


Osun State governor Ademola Adeleke is among  the governors who had yet to conduct local government elections in his state.


Despite judgment, the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC, announced that the LG election will be held on February 22, 2025. The State has 30 local governments.


Katsina State Like Osun, the Northwest State has fixed the LG  elections to February 15, 2025, despite the Supreme Court ruling earlier in 2024.


This means that Governor Umar Dikko Radda may delay the 34 LGs in Katsina from getting their Federal allocations should it begin the implementation of the apex court judgment by October.


Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River is  yet to conduct LG  elections in the South-South State. This means that the 18 local governments in the State may not receive  Federal allocation until after the November 2, 2024, LG  elections in the State.


The remaining States are Ogun, Nasarawa and Zamfara of Governors Dapo Abiodun, Abdullahi Sule and Dauda Lawal.


They planned to hold LG  elections on November 16, 2 and 16, respectively. Ogun styate has 20 LG  Nasarawa has 14, and Zamfara has 14.