Senator AbdulFatai Buhari says the JAC system causes serious JAC system harm and stunts local government development across Nigeria.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Dr AbdulFatai Buhari, on Sunday in Ibadan warned that the Joint Accounts Committee system and the continued absence of financial autonomy are causing profound harm to development at the local government level.
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Speaking at the awards day and grand finale of the third anniversary of Ibadan Mega Voice, Buhari said the JAC system enables state governments to control funds meant for councils, often resulting in misappropriation and stalled projects.
The Senator, who represents Oyo North under the All Progressives Congress, told the audience that local governments have been reduced to extensions of state authority because they lack control over their own resources.
He argued that the situation has left many councils unable to deliver basic services or execute infrastructure projects, despite being the tier of government closest to the people.
Buhari cited examples from Ebonyi and Oyo States, noting that some councils had been unable to complete primary healthcare centres or even commission short township roads because funds were withheld.
He described the impact as devastating, warning that communities would continue to suffer unless fiscal independence was restored.
The lecture, themed Local Government Autonomy in Nigeria: The Impact, Prospects and Challenges, drew prominent personalities including the Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Tajudeen Abimbola Ajibola; Dr Adebukola Kadiri; Hon Akin Alabi; Chief Ashagidigbi Olatunde Bello; and Aare Onibon Olubadan-designate, Oloye Abiola Iyiola.
Senior journalists, traditional chiefs and civic leaders were also in attendance, creating a reflective mood as Buhari detailed the structural failures affecting Nigeria’s councils.
According to him, political interference is compounding the crisis.
He said many local government elections are manipulated or replaced with caretaker committees, leaving more than 70 per cent of councils between 2015 and 2021 in the hands of unelected officials.
He warned that such practices weaken accountability and erode public confidence.
Buhari added that local governments struggle with weak internal revenue generation and poor auditing systems, conditions he described as a dangerous paradox in which state governments justify control by citing corruption while simultaneously undermining the ability of councils to function.
He said genuine autonomy remained the only path toward effective grassroots governance.
In his welcome address, Ibadan Mega Voice President, Aare Kola Olomide, celebrated the group’s growth since its founding, saying it had become a strong voice for community development and cultural advocacy across Ibadan.
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The audience responded warmly, underscoring the significance of the event and the urgency of the issues raised.
