Nigeria’s third tier of government, the local councils, now have financial independence.
In what is considered a major interpretation of the independence of the different tiers of government in Nigeria, the Supreme Court in landmark judgement has granted financial autonomy to the local governments in the country.
In addition to the financial autonomy, which takes away State Governments control over the funds of the councils, the Supreme Court judgement could have implications for the current interference by State Governments in the tenure of elected councils
A seven-member panel of Justices led by Justice Emmanuel Agim in his judgement held that all monies for the councils from the Federation Account be paid directly to the credit of local governments in the country.
The Governors were also barred from dissolving democratically elected officials of local governments and that doing so would amount to a breach of the 1999 Constitution.
The court also said the act of the Governors were to frustrate the local governments in other to ensure their sustainability.
The Federal Government took all Governors of the 36 States to court seeking full autonomy for the 774 Local Governments in the country
as third tier of government in the country
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
