The immediate past Special Adviser on Labour Matters to the Oyo State Governor, Comrade Sikiru Bayo Titilola-Sodo, has disclosed that local governments across Nigeria have been receiving their statutory allocations directly into their respective accounts since January 2026, urging Nigerians to hold council administrations accountable for how the funds are utilised.
Titilola-Sodo, who recently resigned his appointment to pursue the Oyo State governorship under the platform of the Action Alliance (AA) ahead of the 2027 general election, made the remarks during a radio programme in Ibadan. He, however, maintained that local governments have yet to attain full administrative autonomy.
The former President of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Oyo State and former Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state weighed in on the ongoing national debate over local government autonomy, noting that while the Supreme Court’s judgment on financial autonomy was a significant milestone, it should not be misconstrued as granting councils complete independence.
“There is no complete or total local government autonomy yet. The administration of local governments is still subject to Section 7 of the Constitution,” he said.
“I can assure you that every local government in Nigeria—not just those in Oyo State—has been receiving its allocation directly into its account since January this year. Perhaps the question Nigerians should be asking is what the local governments are doing with the money.”
Titilola-Sodo explained that local governments now shoulder substantial statutory responsibilities, including the payment of salaries for council workers and primary school teachers, the funding and maintenance of primary healthcare centres, and the payment of pensions to eligible retirees in those sectors.
“The local governments are responsible not only for paying their staff but also for primary school teachers, maintaining primary healthcare centres, and paying pensions for workers from those sectors. We must therefore develop a workable framework so that, in trying to solve one problem, we do not end up creating another,” he stated.
He stressed that greater transparency and accountability at the grassroots level would be essential to ensuring that the objectives of local government financial autonomy translate into improved service delivery and tangible benefits for citizens.
Speaking on his political ambition, the former labour leader said his decision to resign as Governor Seyi Makinde’s Special Adviser on Labour Matters was driven by his resolve to contest the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State on the platform of the Action Alliance.
Titilola-Sodo commended the Makinde administration for what he described as notable achievements across key sectors of the state’s economy, adding that he possesses the experience and leadership capacity required to consolidate on those gains if elected governor.