The Supreme Court has reserved judgment in the suit filed by the Federal Government through the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) against states over the dispute over the local governments’ autonomy.
A seven-member panel, presided over by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, said a date for the judgment will be communicated to the parties and their counsel.
Justice Garba made the announcement on the reservation of the judgment shortly after lawyers for the parties adopted their final addresses and made final submissions.
Background
Grassroots Parrot had reported how the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), instituted a suit on behalf of the Federal Government, before the Supreme Court, against the 36 state governors, seeking full autonomy for local governments.
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In a suit marked SC/CV/343/2024, which was sighted by newsmen on Sunday, May 26, 2024, the AGF urged the apex court to issue an order prohibiting state governors from unilateral, arbitrary, and unlawful dissolution of democratically elected LG leaders.
The suit, which is predicted on 27 grounds, contended that Nigeria, as a federation, is a creation of the 1999 Constitution with the President as the head of the Federal Executive arm of the Federation and has sworn to uphold and give effect to the provisions of the Constitution.
In the suit, which accused the state governors of gross misconduct and abuse of power, the AGF sued them through their respective state attorneys general.
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Fagbemi prayed to the Supreme Court for an order to allow the credits of LGs to be directly paid 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 minister also 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 benefit of LGs.
The FG further sought an order stopping governors from constituting caretaker committees to run the affairs of LGs as against the constitutionally- recognized and guaranteed democratic system.
In a 13-paragraph affidavit in support of the originating summons deposed to by one Kelechi Ohaeri from the Federal Ministry of Justice, it was alleged that the AGF instituted the suit against the governors under the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court on behalf of the federal government.
