The Nigerian Federal Government and the governors of its 36 states have initiated a heated legal battle at the Supreme Court about the Federal Government’s attempt to provide autonomy to the nation’s 774 local councils.
The Federal Government’s legal team is led by Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, against the state governors, who are represented by a number of attorneys.
A seven-member panel of the Apex Court’s Justices, presided over by Justice Garba Lawal, has begun deliberations to fairly consider the matters at hand.
Two renowned attorneys, Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) Yusuf Olaolu Ali and Sebastien Hon, have offered to provide the federal government with pro bono legal assistance throughout this intense court struggle.
The AGF is requesting an injunction from the Apex Court in the action with the case number SC/CV/343/2024 that forbids State Governors from unilaterally, arbitrarily, or illegally dissolving democratically elected local government leaders for local governments.
In the original summons, which he personally signed, the Chief Law Officer of the Federation also begged the Supreme Court for an order allowing the funds in local governments’ credits to be transferred directly to them from the Federation Account in accordance with the Constitution’s provisions as opposed to the allegedly illegal joint accounts established by
Additionally, he requested an order from the Supreme Court prohibiting governors from forming Caretaker Committees to manage local government operations in violation of the democratic system that the Constitution guarantees.
Furthermore, when no democratically elected local government system is established in the states, the federal government applied for an order of prohibition prohibiting the governors, their representatives, and privies from accepting, using, or interfering with money released from the Federation Account for the benefit of local governments.
More details later.
