Nigeria’s apex Court, the Supreme Court has granted full financial autonomy to the 774 local government areas (LGAs) across the country.
This decision was delivered by a seven-man panel of Supreme Court Justices, led by Justice Garba Lawal.
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The judgment stemmed from a suit, marked SC/CV/343/2024, which was initially heard on June 13, 2024.
The suit was filed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who argued for direct fund allocation to LGAs, bypassing the state governments.
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Fagbemi contended that funds allocated to LGAs were being mismanaged by caretaker committees appointed by state governors, rather than being utilized by elected local government officials.
He requested that the Supreme Court mandate direct funding to LGAs to ensure financial autonomy.
The 36 state governors, represented by their attorneys general, opposed the suit, arguing that the Supreme Court lacked jurisdiction over the matter and raising other legal objections.
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Delivering it’s judgment on Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of granting full financial autonomy to the LGAs, recognizing them as an independent tier of government within the Nigerian federation.
This ruling marks a significant shift in the governance structure of Nigeria, aiming to enhance local government efficiency and accountability.
