FG SUE 36 STATES GOVERNMENT OVER LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTONOMY
The Federal Government has instituted a legal action against the Governors of the 36 States of the Federation at the Supreme Court over alleged misconduct in the administration of Local Government Areas, LGAs.
The FG is seeking:
— Seeking full autonomy for LGAs: FG is seeking full autonomy for all LGAs in the country as the third tier of government.
— Prohibiting governors from dissolving local government leaders: FG specifically prayed the apex court to issue an order, prohibiting state governors from embarking on unilateral, arbitrary and unlawful dissolution of democratically elected local government leaders.
— Direct funding of local governments: FG also prayed for an order permitting the funds standing in the credits of local governments to be directly channelled to them from the Federation Account in line with the provisions of the Constitution.
— Stopping governors from constituting caretaker committees: FG prayed the Supreme Court for an order, stopping governors from further constituting Caretaker Committees to run the affairs of local governments as against the Constitutionally recognized and guaranteed democratic system.
— Restraining governors from receiving funds: FG 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 benefits of local governments when no democratically elected local government system is put in place in the states.
Governors sued through their Attorneys General: Governors of the 36 States were sued through their respective Attorneys General.
The Supreme Court has fixed May 30 to hear the suit.
