Supreme Court Witness Legal Showdown As FG, State Governors Lock Horns Over LG Autonomy

The Federal Government of Nigeria and governors representing the 36 states have initiated intense legal confrontations at the Supreme Court concerning the Federal Government’s bid to establish autonomy for the 774 local governments nationwide.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, is spearheading the Federal Government’s legal team in opposition to the state governors, who have retained representation from diverse legal counsels.

Addressing the issues at hand, a seven-man panel of Apex Court justices, chaired by Justice Garba Lawal, initiated the hearing process.

In a remarkable display of generosity, Yusuf Olaolu Ali and Sebastien Hon, distinguished Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), have stepped forward to offer complimentary legal services to support the federal government in the arduous legal battle.

In suit number SC/CV/343/2024, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) is seeking relief from the Supreme Court, requesting an order to restrain State Governors from unilaterally, arbitrarily, and unlawfully dissolving democratically elected local government leaders within their respective states.

In the originating summons personally signed by the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, the Supreme Court is being petitioned for an order allowing the funds held in the credits of local governments to be directly allocated to them from the Federation Account, in accordance with constitutional provisions, rather than through the purported unlawful joint accounts established by governors.

He additionally requested an order from the Apex Court to prohibit governors from forming Caretaker Committees to administer the affairs of local governments, contrary to the constitutionally recognized and guaranteed democratic system.

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