Abia APC Backs CSOCLC Suit, Demands Transparency On ₦800bn LG Funds

…obey Court Order, Publish 17 LGA Accounts
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‎UMUAHIA — The All Progressives Congress, APC, Abia State Chapter, has declared support for the Civil Society Observatory for Constitutional and Legal Compliance, CSOCLC, in its legal action compelling the Abia State Government to disclose the accounts and expenditures of the 17 Local Government Councils.
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‎In a statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Uche Aguoru, the party said if the Abia State Government is not corrupt, it should open its books, obey court rulings and let Abians know how the more than ₦800 billion paid into local government accounts has been spent.
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‎“The secrecy surrounding the management of local government funds is clear testimony to the huge corruption going on in the system in Abia State. A government that cannot account for public funds has no moral right to preach good governance,” the statement said.
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‎Supreme Court Judgment
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‎The APC noted that the CSOCLC suit is aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in local government administration, particularly following the Supreme Court judgment of July 11, 2024, which affirmed financial autonomy for Local Governments across Nigeria.
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‎The party said the judgment, alongside efforts by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was intended to restore governance to the grassroots by ensuring LG funds are used for the development and welfare of local communities.
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‎“Unfortunately, in Abia State under the present government, Local Government funds that are supposed to be deployed for the development and welfare of rural communities are being brazenly stolen and mismanaged,” the party alleged.
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‎It commended CSOCLC for “exposing how Local Government funds are being pocketed by individuals in Abia State.”
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‎The APC further accused the state government of refusing to implement the constitutional mandate on LG autonomy, alleging that funds are being embezzled while people’s welfare is neglected and rural communities remain undeveloped.
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‎Call For Accountability
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‎The party said the consequences of the alleged mismanagement are visible in abandoned rural roads, collapsed primary healthcare centres, dilapidated schools, unemployed youths and neglected communities.
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‎“You cannot steal development from the people and expect applause. Every naira diverted from Local Government allocations is stolen healthcare, stolen education, stolen infrastructure, and stolen hope,” the statement added.
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‎The APC demanded the immediate release of the Local Government accounts as ordered by the court.
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‎“Abians deserve facts. No amount of propaganda can cover this. We demand accountability, not excuses. We ask for transparency, not secrecy,” it said.
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‎The party concluded that the era of treating Local Government funds as political spoils “must end.”