NULGE vs CBN: Court to deliver judgement on Kano LG allocation

• The court has reserved its ruling after hearing a suit filed by NULGE, challenging the withholding of allocations meant for the 44 local governments in Kano state by the CBN
• The suit was filed by NULGE members including the chairman Ibrahim Muhd, Ibrahim Uba Shehu, and others, who are seeking to prevent the respondents from delaying or withholding LG funds
• Interestingly, the CBN and other defendants, including the AGF and commercial banks have filed objections to the case, with the CBN arguing that the Kano state high court lacked jurisdiction over the matter

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Kano state - On Wednesday, November 27, the Kano State High Court reserved its ruling in a case filed by the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other respondents over the withholding of local government allocations in Kano state.

The case, which involved multiple parties, is set to address the delay in disbursement of funds essential for local governance in the state.

As reported by Daily Trust, the applicants are the chairman of NULGE, Ibrahim Muhd, Ibrahim Uba Shehu, Ibrahim Shehu Abubakar, Usman Isa, Sarki Alhaji Kurawa, and Malam Usman Imam.

On November 6, the court restrained the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), and others from withholding the allocations of Kano State’s 44 local governments.

The applicants, through their counsel, Mr Bashir Yusuf Muhammad, filed a motion exparte dated November 1, seeking the court to restrain the respondents from withholding or delaying allocations essential for local governance in the state.

The respondents are: the AGF, the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, (RMAFC), the 44 Kano local governments, UBA, Access and six other commercial banks.

When the case came up for hearing on Wednesday, Muhammad filed a reply to the notice of preliminary objection dated November 20, 2024.

He stated:

“The application is attached with a four-paragraph affidavit and a written address dated November 3.“We filed 11 paragraphs of the better and further affidavit dated November 20, 2924 and one exhibit.”

Muhammad urged the court to discountenance the respondent’s counter-affidavit and grant the applicant relief.

However, counsel for the 44 local governments, Eyitayo Fatogun, did not oppose the plaintiff’s application.

Fatogun stated that the disbursement of local government allocations should not be truncated.

Responding, counsel for CBN, Ganiyu Ajape, filed a notice of preliminary objection dated November 14, 2024 pursuant to order 8 rules (1)(2) of the fundamental rights.

“We filed our reaction and six-paragraph counter affidavit dated and filed November 14,” the notice read.

Ajape urged the court to strike out the name of CBN in the suit for lacking jurisdiction to entertain the matter and not to grant the applicants relief.

Justice Ibrahim Muhammad adjourned the matter for ruling in the notice of preliminary objection and the substantive matter, to a date that would be communicated to parties.

Fubara reacts to court judgement stopping FG allocation

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Fubara reacted as the court stopped the federal government from sending allocation to Rivers state.

Legit.ng reported that Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly filed the suit before the court.

Reacting swiftly, Fubara, during a special thanksgiving service in Rivers state, maintained that the court judgement is the least of his worries.

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Source: Legit.ng