live_tv
Livestream Starting Soon
00
Hours
:
00
Minutes
:
00
Seconds
Up next in 10
State Govt Has No Power To Dissolve LGA Councils, Control Allocations - Supreme Court
Jul 11, 2024
State Govt Has No Power To Dissolve LGA Councils, Control Allocations - Supreme Court ~ OsazuwaAkonedo #Agim #Emmanuel #Fagbemi #Garba #Lateef #Lawal https://osazuwaakonedo.news/state-govt-has-no-power-to-dissolve-lga-councils-control-allocations-supreme-court/11/07/2024/ #Breaking News Published: July 11th, 2024 Reshared: July 11, 2024 6:54 pm Nigeria Supreme Court of Justice has ruled that state governments have no power or
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
Nigeria supreme court of justice has
0:01
ruled that state governments have no
0:03
power or authority to dissolve
0:04
democratically elected local government
0:06
area councils or set of critical
0:07
Committee in line with the spirit
0:08
purpose and intent of the 1999 Nigeria
0:11
Constitution the Supreme Court on
0:13
Thursday also ruled that it is
0:14
unconstitutional for state government to
0:16
control the funds or allocations of
0:17
local government area councils stating
0:20
that Federal allocations should be paid
0:21
directly into local government area
0:23
council's accounts putting an end to
0:25
agal practice of council's allocations
0:27
received through state governments the
0:29
judgments delivered by by Justice
0:30
Emanuel aim on Thursday the F Court
0:32
declared that it is unconstitutional for
0:34
state governments to withhold and
0:35
utilize allocations meant for local
0:37
government areas without transferring
0:38
the funds to them as mandated by section
0:40
1623 of the Constitution the Supreme
0:43
Court rules that the federal government
0:44
must pay funds allocated to local
0:46
governments directly to the respective
0:47
local government areas which are to be
0:49
managed by democratically elected
0:51
officials a seven month panel of the eex
0:53
calls led by Justice G passed the
0:55
Judgment after hearing the case in which
0:56
all the 36 State Governors were made the
0:58
defendants by the federal govern
1:00
government last month the Supreme Court
1:02
had resolved its judgment in a lawsuit
1:04
brought by the Attorney General of the
1:05
Federation and Minister of Justice Lati
1:07
f s to call for local governments
1:10
autonomy in the country the suit founded
1:12
by Farm seeks full autonomy for the
1:13
local government areas in the country
1:16
the government asked the epex C to ban
1:17
State Governors from arbitrarily
1:19
dissolving democratically elected local
1:21
government councils the Nigerian
1:22
government also asked the fs C to stop
1:24
the governors from maintaining joint
1:26
accounts with local governments
1:27
describing it as unlawful and in
1:29
violation of the the provisions of the
1:30
Constitution the federal government also
1:32
wants the Supreme Court to prohibit
1:34
Governors from forming K committees to
1:36
manage local governments in violation of
1:37
the Constitution's recognized and
1:39
protected democratic system the federal
1:41
governments also sought an injunction
1:43
prohibiting Governors their agents and
1:45
pries from receiving spending or tuming
1:48
with funds released from the Federation
1:49
account for the benefit of local
1:51
governments in states without a
1:52
democratically elected local government
1:54
system according to the suit Nigeria as
1:56
a federation was created by the 1999
1:59
Constitution as amended with the
2:01
president as held of the Federal
2:02
Executive arm swearing on all to defend
2:04
and give effect to sections of the
2:06
Constitution the fex court had earlier
2:08
given 36 defendants seven days to F
2:10
their defense and also given the agf 2
2:12
days to F his reply upon receipt of the
2:14
governor's defense the supreme court
2:16
judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel
2:18
aim on Thursday described the agan
2:19
practice by Governors as a violation of
2:21
the 1999 Constitution the Supreme Court
2:24
thereafter bed all state governors in
2:26
Nigeria from dissolving democratically
2:27
elected local government councils in the
2:29
country the suit by the agf was on 27
2:32
grounds a careful analysis of the
2:34
Supreme Court rulings indicated that the
2:36
eex court orders the federal government
2:37
to hence forth withhold allocations to
2:39
local governments governed by on elected
2:41
officials appointed by the governor the
2:43
effs called B the federal government
2:44
from further pay local government
2:46
allocations through the state government
2:47
since the practice has been abused by
2:49
Governors CL Watcher said that the 774
2:52
local government areas in the country
2:54
always experience undemocratic practices
2:56
from state governments over the years
2:59
according to them efficient governance
3:00
at the level of the top tier of
3:02
government has been hampered by the
3:03
overbearing influence of State Governors
3:05
funds meant for local governments in the
3:07
Federation accounts are paid monthly to
3:09
them through their respective state
3:10
governments but against expectations the
3:13
governors of the States retain the funds
3:14
in joint accounts in the respective
3:16
States and only release to the local
3:17
governments what the wish the local
3:19
governments in each state have no say in
3:21
the use of the funds in the joint
3:22
accounts controlled by the respective
3:24
State Governors the close Watchers said
3:26
the Office of the Attorney General of
3:28
the Federation and Minister of Justice
3:29
instituted the suit at the Supreme Court
3:31
seeking an order to better guarantee the
3:33
independence of the local governments in
3:35
the suit marked SC CB 343 2024 the
3:40
federal government urged the court to
3:41
issue an order prohibiting State
3:43
Governors from embarking on unilateral
3:45
arbitrary and unlawful dissolution of
3:46
democratically elected local government
3:48
leaders the plen also prayed the Supreme
3:50
Court to make an order permitting the
3:52
fund standing in the credits of local
3:53
governments to be directly channeled to
3:55
them from the Federation account in line
3:56
with the provisions of the Constitution
3:58
as against the alleged unlawful joint
4:00
accounts created by Governors immediate
4:02
compliance ordered as the Supreme Court
4:04
declared any action contrary in AB as
4:05
illegal and the breach of the
4:06
Constitution of Nigeria meanwhile the
4:09
conference of Nigerian political parties
4:11
cnpp has commended the Supreme Court of
4:13
Nigeria for its Landmark judgment baring
4:15
State Governors from withholding funds
4:17
meant for local government
4:18
administrations a statement signed by
4:20
the cnp's deputy National publicity
4:22
secretary C James ASR notes that for far
4:25
too long Governors have resoled the
4:27
powers and resources of local
4:28
governments stifling Grassroots
4:29
development and perpetuating poverty
4:31
this judgment marks a new know for local
4:33
government autonomy and a significant
4:35
blow to the impunity and recklessness of
4:37
State governors in the last two decades
4:39
the cnpp sees this ruling as a
4:41
significant step towards decentralizing
4:42
power promoting Grassroots development
4:45
and enhancing the overall quality of
4:46
life for Nigerians we believe that this
4:48
judgment will go a long way in
4:50
addressing the issues of poverty
4:51
equality and social injustice that have
4:53
plant our nation for decades we urge all
4:56
stakeholders to respect and implement
4:57
this judgment and we demand that
4:59
government who will let this ruling be
5:00
prosecuted after leaving office it is
5:03
time to hold our leaders accountable for
5:04
their actions and ensure that the rule
5:06
of law is upheld the cnpp calls on the
5:08
federal government to ensure the
5:10
immediate release of funds due to local
5:11
governments directly to their respective
5:13
accounts and to monitor their
5:14
utilization to prevent forther abuse we
5:17
also urge Civil Society organizations
5:18
and the media to join us in holding
5:20
Governors accountable for their actions
5:22
this judgment is a testament to the
5:24
power of the Judiciary in upholding the
5:25
Constitution and protecting the rights
5:27
of the people we commend the Supreme
5:29
Court for its courage and commitment to
5:31
Justice the cnpp calls on Governors who
5:33
are yet to conduct local government
5:35
elections to end the unconstitutional
5:36
practice of appointing Cal committees
5:38
and immediately allow for the conduct of
5:39
free fair and credible local government
5:42
Poes in the stats or forfeit the local
5:43
government allocations until a
5:45
democratically elected local government
5:46
system is in place this ruling is a
5:48
resounding victory for democracy
5:50
National development and the ls
5:52
suffering people of Nigeria cnpp
5:57
St br
5:59
in a more Digital Way
#Government
#News
#Politics
#Constitutional Law & Civil Rights