Supreme Court reserves judgment in LGs autonomy suit
The Supreme Court, on Thursday, reserved judgment in the suit filed by the Federal Government against the 36 state governors over Local Government autonomy.
In the suit, the FG is seeking full autonomy for the 774 local governments in the country.
The governors were sued through their respective state attorneys general.
The suit is predicated on 27 premises, which include the fact that the Federation of Nigeria is a creation of the 1999 Constitution, with the president as the head of the federal executive arm of the federation and sworn to uphold and implement the provisions of the constitution.
At the resumed hearing on Thursday, Justice Garba Lawal announced that parties in the matter would be communicated when the judgment is ready.
The reservation of the judgment came after the seven-man panel of the apex court had taken adoption of processes filed by the Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN on behalf of the federal government and those of the 36 State Governors.
In his arguments, the AGF Lateef Fagbemi SAN pleaded with the Supreme Court to grant all the reliefs sought by the federal government in the suit.
Raising an objection, the governors through their respective State Attorneys General and Commissioner for Justice opposed the request of the federal government and asked the court to dismiss the suit.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN had on behalf of the Federal Government, initiated the legal action against the governors, primarily seeking full autonomy for local governments as three tiers of government in the country.
In the suit marked SC/CV/343/2024, the AGF is praying the Apex Court for an order restraining state governors from unilaterally, arbitrarily and unlawfully dissolving democratically elected local government leaders.
The Chief Counsel of the Federation, in the original summons which he personally signed, is also praying the Supreme Court for an order to allow the funds in the appropriations of the local governments to be channeled directly to them from the federation account in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution against the alleged illegal joint accounts created by the governors.
He also sought the order of the Apex Court to prevent the governors from constituting inner committees to conduct the affairs of the local governments against the democratically recognized and guaranteed system.
Also, the federal government has sought an order prohibiting governors, agents and their privies from receiving, spending or handling funds released from the federation account for the benefit of local governments when no democratically elected local government system is in place.
