Supreme Court Gives LG Chairmen ‘Full Authority’ Over LG Funds, Declares Caretaker Committees Illegal

The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Thursday made decisive decisions on local government administration in the country which include limiting the involvement of the state governors.

The apex court has taken their hands off the local government funds  and the  running of the third tier of government by declaring that it is unconstitutional for them to interfere and get involved in how the local government funds are utilized.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that the seven-man panel headed by Justice Emmanuel Agim, declared that the 774 local government councils in the country should have ‘full control’ over the  utilization of  their funds .

The three tiers of government; the federal, the state and the local government, the Supreme Court noted, enjoy the ‘power of government’..

The court further declared that a state governor has no power to appoint a caretaker committee and a local government will only be recognized as such when it has democratically elected leaders.

 ‘A democratically elected local government leaders is sacrosanct and non-negotiable’ the court said.

The apex  court noted that state governments are perpetuating a dangerous trend by refusing to allow democratically elected leaders at the  local governments and would rather choose to  appoint their loyalists who can only be removed by them.

Recall that the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Federal Government, seeking to grant full autonomy  to the 774 local governments in the country.

The 36 state governments had however through their attorney generals, filed a counterclaim, arguing that the Supreme Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case.

Justice Agim  however affirmed that the AGF has the legal authority to initiate the lawsuit and uphold the constitution.

‘I hold that the plaintiff’s request is hereby approved, and all the reliefs granted’ he said-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you