Supreme Court Grants Local Govts’ Financial Autonomy, Orders FG on Direct Allocation of Funds
Oluwasegun SanusiJuly 11, 20241 Mins read536 
A landmark judgment, with far-reaching consequences for the governance structure of Nigeria, has just been given by the Supreme Court, strengthening the financial independence of the nation’s 774 local governments.
The judgment given today was presided over by a seven-member panel led by Justice Emmanuel Agim, allowing the local government councils to receive their allocations directly from the Accountant-General of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
This decision came after some states’ governors had allegedly refused to give local governments due shares of their federal allocation.
This ruling compels local governments to now collect their allocations directly from the federal government, without going through state authorities.
The suit was filed by the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, on behalf of the Nigerian government.
The Supreme Court held that it is illegal for governors to dissolve democratically elected local governments chairmen
“A democratically elected local government is sacrosanct and non-negotiable,” the Supreme Court said.
Read also: Supreme Court Reserves Judgment On Local Government Autonomy
About The Author
Related Articles
Tinubu Government Delays Release of Signed Tax Acts to the Public
Four days after President Bola Tinubu announced the signing of four tax...
As Tinubu Urges Africa-Caribbean Unity in Saint Lucia, Over 272 Nigerians Killed in June Alone
While Nigerians deal with deadly violence, worsening hunger, and mass flooding, President...
You Can’t Tax a Dead Economy: Nigeria Is Suffocating Under Its Own Policies
As Nigeria’s Central Bank clings to its benchmark interest rate of 27.5...
“Wike is Not a Blessing to Us, He’s a Disaster” — Workers Protest in Nigeria’s Capital Over Unpaid Wages, Poor Working Conditions
Staff members of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in Abuja barricaded...