The Federal Government has vowed to take criminal action against elected officials who collude with governors to divert funds meant for the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria.
This decision is in line with the Supreme Court’s judgment granting financial autonomy to local governments.
According to Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), the diversion of local government funds by governors is an impeachable offence.
He noted that some governors have installed their loyalists in local governments through questionable elections.
While the Federal Government cannot interfere with local government elections, it will prosecute elected officials who mismanage funds released to them from the federation account.
The Justice Minister emphasized that the Federal Government took the 36 state governors to the Supreme Court due to the deplorable condition of many local government secretariats across the country.
He said: “The situation was also such that even when the secretariat needed to buy stationeries, you had to notify the governor in advance that you want to spend your money.
“And we have listened to such funny arguments before and after the judgment, to the effect that, oh, they are not matured enough. I said, how better are you? Are you any better? Leave them.
“And we have been drawing these into the ears of the local government officials that look, the governors have immunity, but you don’t have. So, it is very easy for you to get yourself to Kuje or other prisons spread across Nigeria.
“Before I go further, let me say that even before the pronouncement of the Supreme Court, there were so many pressures coming from left, right and center.
“But I give kudos to President Bola Tinubu, who despite the pressure, was able to stand up and say that he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that the 774 local governments are also people to be protected and he did so.”
The CJN, who was represented by the Secretary of the National Judicial Institute, Mr. Abdullaziz Olumo, urged journalists to avoid sensationalism in news reporting.
She further expressed concern over what she termed as “trial by media,” where premature narratives prejudge cases, sometimes infringing on constitutional rights.
Earlier in his keynote address, Prof. Mike Ozekhome (SAN), said there was need for the judiciary to continue to live up to expectation by ensuring that justice is not sacrificed on the alter of technicalities.
On the theme of the conference: “The role of courts in the enforcement of judgments,” Ozekhome insisted that courts must hold the balance of scale between feuding parties, even as he cautioned judges against denying lawyers the opportunity to effectively present their case in court.
In his address of welcome, the Chairman of the Abuja Chapter of NAJUC, Mr. Kayode Lawal, pledged the commitment of the media to fair and balanced reporting.
He called for a holistic judicial reform that would ensure that lawyers who compromise judges, are promptly and adequately punished.
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