Supreme Court in historic ruling grants full financial autonomy to local governments

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday morning that the state governor’s action to withhold funds budgeted for local government administration was unconstitutional.

The Court ruled that the Federal Government must pay sums due to the credit of Local Governments in the Federation directly to the Local Government Areas administered by democratically elected officials.

READ ALSO: Supreme Court to rule on local council autonomy on Thursday

Justice Emmanuel Agim, in the lead judgment, in the landmark judgment also held that it was unconstitutional for state governments to withhold and utilize allocations meant for LGAs on their behalf without transferring them to them as provided for in Article 162(3) of the Constitution.

The apex court ruling followed a lawsuit filed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, seeking full autonomy for the country’s 744 LGAs.

More to come…

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