The Federal Government has dragged the 36 state governors before the Supreme Court over alleged misconduct.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, on behalf of the federal government instituted the court action against the governors, primarily seeking full autonomy for local governments as third tiers of government in the country.
In the suit the AGF is praying the Apex Court for an order prohibiting State Governors from unilateral, arbitrary and unlawful dissolution of democratically elected local government leaders for local governments.
In an originating summons the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, is also praying the Supreme Court for an order permitting the funds standing in the credits of local governments to be directly channelled to them from the Federation Account in line with the provisions of the Constitution as against the alleged unlawful joint accounts created by governors.
He also sought order of the Apex Court stopping governors from constituting Caretaker Committees to run the affairs of local governments as against the Constitutionally recognized and guaranteed democratic system.
The federal government also applied for an order of injunction restraining the governors, their agents and privies from receiving, spending or tampering with funds released from the Federation Account for the benefits of local governments when no democratically elected local government system is put in place in the states.
The attorney general is asking the Apex Court to invoke sections 1, 4, 5, 7 and 14 of the Constitution to declare that the State Governors and State Houses of Assembly are under obligation to ensure democratic system at the third tier of government in Nigeria and to also invoke the same sections to hold that the governors cannot lawfully dissolve democratically elected local government coincils.
The AGF also prayed for invocation of sections 1, 4, 5, 7 and 14 of the Constitution to declare that dissolution of democratically elected local government Councils by the Governors or anyone using the State powers derivable from laws enacted by the State Houses of Assembly or any Executive Order is unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has fixed Thursday, May 30 for hearing of the suit.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
