The Supreme Court has stopped State Governors from receiving funds meant for the 774 local government councils in Nigeria.
It directed that henceforth, all the local governments should receive and manage their funds themselves and enjoy full autonomy away from State Governors.
The Supreme Court, in a historic judgment today, July 11, declared that it is unconstitutional in the first place, for state governors to hold onto funds meant for the Local Government administrations.
In its lead judgement read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the apex court observed that the refusal of state government on financial autonomy for local governments has gone on for over two decades.
According to him, local governments have since stopped receiving the money meant for them from the state governors who act in their stead.
Justice Agim dismissed the preliminary objections of the defendants (state governors).
In the suit filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, the Federal Government sought an order preventing the governors from arbitrarily dissolving democratically elected councils.
Justice Agim said that the AGF has the right to institute the suit and protect the constitution.
The apex court consequently directed that Local Government allocation from the Federation Account should be paid directly to them henceforth.
Source: CHANNELS TV
