By Ola Kay
The Federal Government and state governors in the 36 states of the federation have embark on legal battle at the nation’s Supreme Court just as the former decided to secure autonomy for the 774 local governments in the country.
Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, leads the Federal Government’s legal team against the state governors being represented by various lawyers.
A 7-man panel of Justices of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Garba Lawal, has commenced hearing on the matter.
ITwo Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, Yusuf Olaolu Ali and Sebastien Hon., have volunteered free legal services to support the federal government in the ongoing legal battle.
In the suit marked SC/CV/343/2024, the AGF is praying the apex Court for an order prohibiting State Governors from unilateral, arbitrary and unlawful dissolution of democratically elected local government leaders for local governments.. The Chief Law Officer of the Federation in the originating summons he personally appended his signature, is also praying the Supreme Court for an order permitting the funds standing in the credits of local governments to be directly channelled to them from the Federation Account, in line with the provisions of the Constitution as against the alleged unlawful joint accounts created by governors.
The AGF equally sought order of the apex Court stopping Nigerian governors from constituting Caretaker Committees to run the affairs of local governments as against the Constitutionally recognized and guaranteed democratically system.
In addition to this, the federal government applied for an order of injunction restraining the governors, their agents and privies from receiving, spending or tampering with funds released from the Federation Account for the benefits of local governments when no democratically elected local government system is put in place in the states.
More details are being expected to emerge from the ensuing legal fireworks.
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