Abuja, Nigeria
The Supreme Court has declared that it is unconstitutional for state governors to hold onto funds meant for Local Government (LG) administrations.
The apex court delivered the landmark ruling on Thursday in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The presiding judge, Justice Emmanuel Agim, said the apex court observed that the state government’s refusal of financial autonomy for local governments has gone on for over two decades.
Justice Agim said local governments have since stopped receiving the money meant for them from the state governors who act in their stead.
He noted that the 774 local government councils in the country should manage their funds themselves.
He dismissed the preliminary objections of the defendants (state governors).
