BREAKING: Supreme Court Gives Verdict on LG Autonomy, Details Emerge

• Supreme court has ordered direct payment of allocation to all the 774 local government areas in Nigeria
• The apex court held that the 774 local government councils in the country should manage their funds themselves
• The seven-member panel of justices held that the governors had abused their powers by retaining and using the funds meant for LGAs

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5 years of experience covering metro and government policy

FCT, Abuja — The Supreme court has ordered that funds be paid directly to the accounts of local government areas across the country.

The apex court declared that it is unconstitutional for state governors to hold onto funds meant for local government (LG) administrations.

The judgement was delivered on Thursday following the suit filed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government against the 36 Governors seeking full autonomy for the 774 local governments in the country.

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According to the judgement, local governments have stopped receiving the money meant for them from the state governors.

Justice Emmanuel Agim ruled that the refusal of the state government on financial autonomy for local governments has gone on for over two decades, Channels Television reports.

The apex court held that the 774 local government councils in the country should manage their funds themselves.

The judge dismissed the preliminary objections of the defendants, the 36 state governors.

As reported by Leadership, the seven-member panel of justices held that the governors have continued to abuse their powers by retaining and using the funds meant for LGAs.

Legit.ng recalls that the Supreme Court ordered the 36 state governors to, within seven days, file their respective defences.

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The apex court issued the order while ruling on an application for an abridgement of the time argued by the AGF, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN on Thursday, May 30.

Jonathan: LGA councils deserve full autonomy

In a related development, Legit.ng reported that former president Goodluck Jonathan also declared his readiness to fight for full autonomy for the local councils in 2012.

Jonathan said no meaningful development could be achieved in the country if the councils were not vibrant and not allowed to function.

He said since the councils were the closest tier of government to the people, the rising wave of insecurity in the country would have been reduced if they were functioning well.

Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng

Source: Legit.ng