The Federal Government on Friday said Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling on financial autonomy for local councils in the country takes immediate effect.
BAR & BENCH WATCH reports that the apex bench had, Thursday, ruled that the Federal Government should henceforth pay LG allocations directly to local government councils.
The full panel of the Supreme Court had held that state governors had continued to abuse their powers by retaining and using the funds meant for LGAs.
The apex court ordered the federal government to withhold allocations of LGs governed by unelected officials.
Speaking with journalists after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN,Fagbemi said the judgement of the supreme court will take “immediate effect”.
The AGF said the “ball is now in the court” of state governors to conduct LGA elections, adding that the judgment stipulated punishment for refusal.
“Naturally, one will be happy, should be happy. Nigerians are happy about it,” he said.
“I call it local government emancipation judgement because it has really emancipated the local government from the shackles of the past.
“I hope that local government officials will look at it as an opportunity to develop their various local governments.
“The judgment is clear as to what they should do, the judgment is clear as to what consequences will attach to failure or refusal to follow the judgment of the supreme court which takes immediate effect.”
