Panic As Supreme Court Is Set To Deliver Final Judgment In Suit Against 36 Governors

The Supreme Court is set to deliver its judgment tomorrow, Thursday, July 11, on the suit filed by the Federal Government against the 36 States Governors seeking full autonomy for the 774 local governments across Nigeria.

A document obtained on Wednesday from the apex court indicated that all parties involved in the suit have been notified through their respective lawyers.

The notice of the impending judgment was served on the federal government through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja.

Justice Garba Mohammed Lawal had reserved judgment in the suit on June 13, stating that the parties would be informed once the judgment was ready.

Justice Lawal, leading a seven-member panel of Supreme Court Justices, announced the judgment reservation following presentations from both the federal government and the state governors.

Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, represented the federal government, while the 36 state governors were represented by their respective lawyers.

The AGF urged the Supreme Court to grant all the reliefs sought by the federal government, advocating for full autonomy for local governments as the third tier of government, as outlined in the constitution. This includes the direct allocation of funds from the federation account to the local governments, bypassing the current system where governors control the councils’ finances.

The AGF also requested an order to prohibit the unlawful dissolution of local government officials by state governors.

In contrast, the state governors, through their Attorneys General, opposed the federal government’s request and asked the court to dismiss the suit.