The Federal Government has initiated legal proceedings against the governors of all 36 states at the Supreme Court, citing alleged misconduct in the administration of Local Government Areas (LGAs).
The lawsuit, spearheaded by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, seeks to establish full autonomy for LGAs across Nigeria.
The suit, filed on behalf of the Federal Government, requests the Supreme Court to issue a series of orders aimed at safeguarding the autonomy and democratic integrity of local governments.
Key among these requests is an order prohibiting state governors from the unilateral, arbitrary, and unlawful dissolution of democratically elected local government officials.
The state governors have been named in the suit through their respective Attorneys General. The Federal Government contends that current practices by the governors violate constitutional provisions and undermine local governance.
Specifically, the suit calls for:
1. Direct Funding to Local Governments: An order mandating that funds allocated to local governments from the federation account be directly channeled to them, circumventing the allegedly unlawful joint accounts created by state governors. This is to ensure financial independence for LGAs in accordance with constitutional provisions.
2. Prohibition of Caretaker Committees: An injunction to stop governors from further appointing caretaker committees to manage local governments, advocating instead for constitutionally recognized democratic systems.
3. Restriction on State Interference with Local Government Funds: An order restraining governors, their agents, and representatives from receiving, spending, or tampering with funds meant for local governments, especially in the absence of democratically elected local government bodies.
The Federal Government argues that these measures are necessary to uphold the democratic governance of LGAs and to prevent state governors from exerting undue influence over local administrative affairs.
The AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, emphasized the need for local governments to operate independently, free from state-level interference, to ensure effective and accountable governance at the grassroots.
For more news https://lagostalks.com/news/
