A prominent grassroots political advocate, Chief Olalekan Shoyinka, popularly known as Ayinla Egba, has commended Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, for gifting brand-new 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross vehicles to local government chairmen across the state, but warned that the gesture has reopened critical questions about the autonomy and funding of local councils.
Shoyinka, the Convener of the United Premier Movement (UPM), Abeokuta, in a statement on Thursday, described the Christmas Day presentation of the vehicles as a “commendable and symbolic” act that reflects the governor’s recognition of grassroots administrators and fulfilment of a campaign promise.
He noted that the gesture, reportedly the first of its kind since the commencement of Abiodun’s administration in 2019, came at a time of severe economic strain and sent a reassuring message of inclusion to local government officials.
“Where goodwill is shown, it deserves acknowledgment,” Shoyinka said, adding that the governor’s action underscored support for governance at the grassroots and should be appreciated for its symbolic value.
However, the UPM convener stressed that beyond the applause lies a deeper constitutional and governance concern that must not be ignored.
According to him, no Nigerian president in the Fourth Republic has ever gifted official vehicles to state governors, as governors ordinarily procure such assets through state budgets.
He argued that the situation in Ogun State raises questions about whether local government allocations are truly reaching councils directly and in full.
“If local governments were financially autonomous in practice, chairmen would be able to prioritise and procure their operational needs — including vehicles — without depending on state-level benevolence,” he said.
Shoyinka emphasised that local governments, as the tier of government closest to the people, should be assessed by the quality of service delivery rather than the comfort of their executives.
He listed rural roads, primary healthcare centres, public schools, electrification projects and basic community infrastructure as the real dividends of grassroots governance.
The development, he noted, has once again brought national attention to the unresolved issue of local government financial autonomy.
He referenced President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s repeated assurances to enforce the Supreme Court’s July 2024 judgment granting financial autonomy to local governments, recalling the President’s recent remarks at All Progressives Congress meetings, including the National Caucus and National Executive Committee in December 2025.
Quoting the President, Shoyinka said, “There is no autonomy without a funded mandate,” describing Tinubu’s statement that he has “the yam and the knife” as a clear indication of executive resolve.
He, however, urged the Federal Government to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete steps to ensure direct disbursement of statutory allocations to local governments from the Federation Account, free from interference or diversion.
“An executive order enforcing direct payment, even by deduction at source if necessary, would not be hostility but fidelity to the Constitution,” he said.
While reiterating his appreciation of Governor Abiodun’s gesture, Shoyinka maintained that sustainable grassroots development cannot be built on seasonal generosity but on institutional autonomy, fiscal responsibility and accountability.
“When local governments are properly funded, empowered and monitored, they will no longer wait for gifts — they will deliver governance,” he said, adding that this remains the real reform Nigerians at the grassroots are waiting for.
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