Breaking: FG sues 36 states at Supreme Court over local government autonomy

In a bid to ensure the autonomy of the nation’s local governments, the Federal Government has instituted a lawsuit in the Supreme Court against the 36 governors.

On May 20, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), filed the suit, marked SC/CV/343/2024, on behalf of the federal government.

The federal government is requesting an order from the Supreme Court to halt the unilateral, arbitrary, and unlawful dissolution of democratically elected local government leaders by governors.

According to Persecondnews, it also asked the Supreme Court for an order allowing local governments to directly receive funds from the federation account in accordance with the Constitution, as opposed to the allegedly illegal joint accounts established by governors.

It wants an order stopping governors from constituting caretaker committees to run the affairs of local governments as against the constitutionally recognized and guaranteed democratic system.

Additionally, when no democratically elected local government system is in place in the states, the federal government seeks an order of injunction prohibiting the governors, their agents, and privies from receiving, spending, or tampering with funds released from the Federation Account for local governments’ benefit.

Details shortly…