Supreme Court Grants Financial Autonomy, Bars Govs From Dissolving LG Councils
The Supreme Court has granted financial autonomy to local governments as well as barred governors from dissolving democratically elected local government councils in the country.
The Supreme Court has granted financial autonomy to local governments as well as barred governors from dissolving democratically elected local government councils in the country.
The apex court, in a landmark judgement on Thursday, said that dissolving or tampering with funds belonging to the 774 local governments in the country, would amount to breaching the 1999 Constitution.
The Supreme Court was giving judgement in a suit filed by the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice on behalf of the Federal Government on 27 grounds.
The Federal Government had sought an order preventing the governors from arbitrarily dissolving democratically elected councils.
The 36 state governors who were defendants in the suit, opposed the Federal Government for instituting the case, but the Supreme Court stated that the governors just wasted their time.
In its lead judgement read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the apex court scolded governors over their decades-long refusal of autonomy for local governments.
Justice Agim noted that the 774 local government councils in the country should manage their funds themselves and dismissed the preliminary objections of the defendants (state governors).
The Supreme Court furthermore, directed that Local Government allocations from the Federation Account should be paid directly to them henceforth, and not to state government coffers.
The 36 state governors who were defendants in the suit, opposed the Federal Government for instituting the case, but the Supreme Court stated that the governors just wasted their time.
In its lead judgement read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the apex court scolded governors over their decades-long refusal of autonomy for local governments.
Justice Agim noted that the 774 local government councils in the country should manage their funds themselves and dismissed the preliminary objections of the defendants (state governors).
The Supreme Court furthermore, directed that Local Government allocations from the Federation Account should be paid directly to them henceforth, and not to state government coffers.
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