- The Supreme Court made these pronouncements in its ongoing judgment in the suit filed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) seeking full autonomy for the LGAs.
The Supreme Court has decreed that the federal government must now distribute funds directly to local government councils from the national treasury, bypassing state governments.
In a unanimous decision, a panel of seven justices declared that state governments have persistently misused their authority by withholding and misappropriating funds intended for local government areas.
This ruling is a significant milestone in the country’s federalism journey, as it upholds the principles of local autonomy and ensures that resources reach the grassroots level, where they are needed most.
By cutting out the “middleman”, the federal government can now empower local governments to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities and provide essential services to their communities.
In May, the federal government filed a suit at the supreme court against governors of the 36 states.
In the suit marked SC/CV/343/2024, the federal government asked for full autonomy for the country’s 774 local governments.
This is a developing story…