Abstract
Since the landmark 1976 Local Government Reforms, Nigeria’s local government system has oscillated between demands for greater autonomy and increasing mechanisms of political control. Personnel management, encompassing recruitment, promotion, discipline, and deployment, remains one of the most contested arenas in this governance structure. This paper interrogates the politics of personnel management in Nigerian local governments, focusing on the interplay between autonomy, accountability, and administrative efficiency. Anchored in Weberian Bureaucratic Theory and Principal–Agent Theory, the study adopts a qualitative, theory-driven approach based on documentary analysis of constitutional provisions, reform policies, and institutional practices under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It argues that while autonomy is normatively justified as a means of strengthening grassroots governance, weak accountability frameworks and pervasive political interference have undermined meritocracy, professionalism, and workforce stability. Conversely, excessive external control also constrain managerial discretion necessary for effective personnel administration. The paper advances the thesis that administrative efficiency in local governments is contingent upon a calibrated balance between institutional autonomy and enforceable accountability mechanisms. By reconceptualising personnel management as a site of political negotiation rather than a neutral administrative function, the study contributes to ongoing debates on local government reforms in Nigeria and offers normative insights for strengthening governance, professionalism, and service delivery at the grassroots level.