Legal battle over LG autonomy begins at Supreme Court between FG, State Governors

The Federal Government's legal team, led by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, is confronting the state governors, who have their own array of legal representatives.

Today, the Federal Government of Nigeria and the governors of the 36 states have initiated intense legal proceedings at the Supreme Court regarding the Federal Government's effort to establish autonomy for the country's 774 local governments.

The Federal Government's legal team, led by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, is confronting the state governors, who have their own array of legal representatives.

A panel of seven Justices of the Supreme Court, presided over by Justice Garba Lawal, has commenced the adjudication of the case.

Yusuf Olaolu Ali and Sebastien Hon, both distinguished Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), have offered pro bono legal assistance to the federal government in this challenging legal contest.

In the legal action identified as SC/CV/343/2024, the AGF seeks a ruling from the Supreme Court that would prevent State Governors from dissolving elected local government officials in a manner that is unilateral, arbitrary, and illegal.

The Federation's Chief Law Officer, in the summons he signed, also requests a Supreme Court mandate allowing local government funds to be sent directly from the Federation Account, in accordance with constitutional provisions, rather than through the purportedly illegal joint accounts established by the governors.

Furthermore, the federal government is seeking a Supreme Court directive to halt governors from appointing Caretaker Committees to manage local governments, which contradicts the constitutionally endorsed democratic system.

Additionally, the federal government is seeking an injunction to bar the governors, along with their agents and associates, from accessing, utilizing, or interfering with funds allocated from the Federation Account intended for local governments, in the absence of a democratically elected local government structure in the states.

More information will follow.

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