2 months ago
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Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, has said that the 36 state governors know the consequences of not obeying the Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said the ruling of the Supreme Court has emancipated local government from the shackles of the past.
While speaking with State House Correspondents on Thursday, Fagbemi said the chairmen of local governments must see the ruling as a wake-up call for the development of local council areas.
The Attorney-General of the Federation said like all Nigerians he was happy with the ruling of Supreme Court on Thursday.
Fagbemi said, “Naturally, one will be happy, should be happy. Nigerians are happy about it.
“This judgement has truly emancipated local governments from the shackles of the past, and I hope local government officials will see it as an opportunity to develop their various local governments.”
On what the reaction of the governors would be and if they will implement the ruling of the Supreme Court, Fagbemi said the ball is in the court of the governors.
He said the ruling was clear and every governor knows there would be consequences for disobeying the ruling of the Supreme Court.
“The ball is in the court of the governors. Let us see what they will come out with. The judgement is clear on what they should do and the consequences of failing or refusing to follow the Supreme Court’s ruling, which takes immediate effect,” he said.
Naija News had reported that the Presidency in a statement on Thursday advised governors to see the Supreme Court ruling as deepening democracy and not an affront.
The Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on his X, said it was in the best interest of the state governors to obey the ruling of the apex court.
Onanuga said local government remained a very important third tier of government. He said the emasculation of local council areas by the governors was responsible for poverty and insecurity across Nigeria.
“The Nigerian state governors should not see the Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to the local councils as an affront. It is in their best interest to ensure that the judgment is fully implemented in their domains.
“The local council is a very important third tier of government, and its emasculation by the governors in the last 25 years has been at the root of the poverty and insecurity we have all over our country. The governors must allow the councils to breathe and flourish again,” Onanuga said.
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