Tinubu Wins First Legal Battle Against Governors

President Bola Tinubu has won his first legal battle against 36 Governors over management of local government funds.

The Supreme Court on Thursday barred Federal Government from paying local government monthly allowance from federation account to States.

Recall that the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi SAN in May filed case the States on financial autonomy of 36 states across the country.

The seven-man panel, in the judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, declared that the 774 local government councils in the country should manage their funds themselves.

The Apex Court declared on Thursday that it is unconstitutional for state governors to hold funds allocated for local government administrations.

Justice Agim held that the power of the government is portioned into three arms of government, the federal, the state and the local government.

The court further declared that a state government has no power to elect a caretaker committee and a local government council is only recognisable with a democratically elected government.

“A democratically elected local government is sacrosanct and non-negotiable,” the court said.

The court ruled that state governments are perpetuating a dangerous trend by refusing to allow democratically elected local government councils to function, instead appointing their loyalists who can only be removed by them.

The court dismissed the objections filed by state governors.