The Supreme Court has given the 36 states of the federation seven days to file their defence in a suit seeking full autonomy for the 774 local governments. The Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), filed the suit against the governors over misconduct and maladministration of local government funds.
The court directed the AGF to reply to the governors’ processes within two days upon receipt. The governors were sued through their respective state Attorneys-General. The suit seeks to declare that the state governors and state Houses of Assembly are under obligation to ensure a democratically elected local government system.
The AGF is seeking an order restraining governors from constituting caretaker committees and unilaterally dissolving democratically elected local government chairmen. The Federal Government also wants funds standing in the credits of local governments to be directly channeled to them from the federation account.
The Supreme Court fixed June 13, 2024, for hearing the suit and ordered that all processes be completed within the given time. Eight states – Borno, Kano, Kogi, Niger, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, and Sokoto – were absent in court and will be served fresh hearing notices.