In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court on Thursday declared unconstitutional state governors holding funds allocated for local government administrations.
Consequently, by this ruling the local governments have secured their autonomy.
The seven-man panel, in the judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, declared that allocations of the 774 local government councils in the country should be paid directly to their account and should be managed by them.
The apex court upheld the three tiers of government, the federal, the state and the local government.
The court further declared that a state government has no power to elect a caretaker committee and a local government council is only recognisable with a democratically elected government.
“A democratically elected local government is sacrosanct and non-negotiable,” the court said
The court ruled that state governments are perpetuating a dangerous trend by refusing to allow democratically elected local government councils to function, instead appointing their loyalists who can only be removed by them
Justice Agim dismissed the objections filed by state governors.
The Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Federal Government, seeking to grant full autonomy and direct funding to all 774 local government councils in the country.
The 36 state governments, through their attorneys general, filed a counterclaim, arguing that the Supreme Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case.
In Thursday’s ruling, Justice Agim affirmed that the AGF has the legal authority to initiate the lawsuit and uphold the constitution.
Justice Agim said, “I hold that the plaintiff’s request is hereby approved and all the reliefs granted.”
