• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
    • Government
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
    • ICPC Secures Conviction of Rector for Running Unaccredited Degree Programmes

      Engr Abba Babagana Dalori

      Engr Dalori Forfeits Galaxy Hospital, Petrol Station, Properties & Cash

      Chinese nationals jailed in Lagos

      Court Jails Nine Chinese Nationals for Cybercrime in Lagos

      ASUU

      Tackle Corruption, Institutional Decay – ASUU Charges FG

      EFCC Arraigns Bauchi Accountant General Over N8bn Fraud as Court Sentences…

  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
    • Customs Partners US Mission to Prevent Expanded Visa Ban

      Nigeria Customs Partners China on Smarter Ports, Officer Training, Reforms

      Comptroller General Nigerian Customs Bashir Adewale

      Customs Moves Against 223 Importers in N379bn Permit Breach

      Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Customs Boss

      How Customs is Tightening Borders to Stop Illicit Cash Flows –…

      Customs boss, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi with NAFDAC DG Professor Moji Adeyeye

      Codeine, Tramadol Worth ₦20.5bn Seized as Customs-NAFDAC Cooperation Deepens

  • National
    • Army Commander keeps 100 students in school

      Army Commander’s Compassion Keeps 100 Students in School in Zamfara

      Sam Obi Sponsors 500 students

      Sam Obi Sponsors 500 Students in Evergreen, SimplifiedIQ’s Education Program

      CG Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi

      NIPR Hails customs Boss’ Tenure Extension as Evidence of Transformational Leadership

      Comptroller General Customs Bashir Adewale and his staffs with the representatives of the European Union, the German Embassy

      Customs Unveils Renewable Energy Handbook, Strengthens EU-Germany-GIZ Partnership

      University of Maiduguri

      UNIMAID Mass Comm becomes Faculty of Communication and Media Studies

    • Government
      • Northern leaders at Arewa Summit

        Northern Leaders Urge Action on Almajiri Crisis, Equitable Resources at Arewa…

        Saidu Ahmed Alkali,

        Kaduna-Kano Light Rail Underway as FG Targets ₦70bn Investment

        Beyond Hoes and Sticks: The Power of Education for Peace in…

        National Blood Service Agency

        FG Pledges Stronger Support for Blood Services, Seeks Scalable Interventions from…

        Tinubu’s Government Unveils Multi-Sectoral Initiatives to Boost Northern Region’s Development

  • Security
    • Nigerian Navy

      Navy to Establish  Base in Kebbi to Tackle Inland Waterway Crimes

      Army Commander keeps 100 students in school

      Army Commander’s Compassion Keeps 100 Students in School in Zamfara

      Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, receiving the land document from Governor Pastor Umo Bassey Eno in Akwa Ibom

      Akwa Ibom Boosts National Security with Land Donation for Nigerian Air…

      Military Troops in Action

      Army Troops, DSS Nab Arms Trafficker in Taraba, Recover Ammunition, Cash

      Inspector-General of Police Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun

      IG Reaffirms Commitment to Tackling Oil Theft, Upholding Human Rights

  • Features
    • Okello Oculi

      Okello Oculi: A Pan-Africanist Asteroid Burns out Forever By Is’haq Modibbo…

      Leon Usigbe

      Death, you can’t be Proud of this By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem 

      Tinubu’s Plateau Gambit – Yilwatda, 2027, and the Return of the…

      Ozumi and a recipient of a wheelchair

      Wheels of Hope: How a Simple Gift is Reshaping Lives at…

      Late Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari and Mansur Liman

      “Buhari: A Blunt, Honest Leader Who Laughed at His Own Predicament”

  • State
    • court Judiciary

      Lawyer Sues Housing Ministry, FHA Over Alleged Property Redesign

      Army Commander keeps 100 students in school

      Army Commander’s Compassion Keeps 100 Students in School in Zamfara

      Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, receiving the land document from Governor Pastor Umo Bassey Eno in Akwa Ibom

      Akwa Ibom Boosts National Security with Land Donation for Nigerian Air…

      Nigerian Army

      Army Denies Allegations of Misconduct in Imo Community

      Military Troops in Action

      Troops Repel Bandit Attacks in Katsina, Plateau, Recover Rustled Cattle, Sustain…

  • Event
    • court Judiciary

      Lawyer Sues Housing Ministry, FHA Over Alleged Property Redesign

      Sam Obi Sponsors 500 students

      Sam Obi Sponsors 500 Students in Evergreen, SimplifiedIQ’s Education Program

      Comptroller General Customs Bashir Adewale and his staffs with the representatives of the European Union, the German Embassy

      Customs Unveils Renewable Energy Handbook, Strengthens EU-Germany-GIZ Partnership

      University of Maiduguri

      UNIMAID Mass Comm becomes Faculty of Communication and Media Studies

      CG Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi

      Tinubu’s Extension of Customs CG Bashir Adeniyi’s Tenure Draws Widespread Praise…

    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Home Government Apex Court gives Govs 7 days to file Defence on LGs Autonomy
  • Government

Apex Court gives Govs 7 days to file Defence on LGs Autonomy

By
Prnigeria
-
May 30, 2024
court Judiciary
court Judiciary Justice

Apex Court gives Govs 7 days to file Defence on LGs Autonomy

The Supreme Court has ordered the 36 state governors in the country to file within seven days their respective defence in the suit seeking full autonomy for the 774 Local Governments in the country filed against them by the Federal Government.

The apex court also on Thursday ordered the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), who filed the suit on behalf of the federal government to reply to the governors processes within two days upon receipt.

A seven member panel of Justices of the apex court, led by Justice Garba Lawal issued the order while ruling on an application filed by the AGF, seeking abridgement of time in the filing and exchange of processes in the matter.

Fagbemi, while arguing the application requested the court to order the governors to file their defense within five days in view of the urgency and importance of the matter.

However, although, the Chairman, Body of Attorneys General of the states of the federation, Ben Odoh, who is also the Attorney General of Ebony state did not object to the request for abridgement of time but however requested that they be given 15 days as against the five days proposed by the AGF.

Justice Lawal, in his ruling said, the decision of the court to give 7 days was predicated on the national importance and urgency of the suit and the non objection from the Attorneys General of the 36 states of the federation.

The Supreme Court held that filing of all processes and exchanging of same must be completed within the time and subsequently fixed June 13, 2024 for hearing of the suit.

At Thursday’s proceedings, the Attorneys General of Borno, Kano, Kogi, Niger, Ogun, Osun , Oyo and Sokoto states were absent in court and not represented by any lawyer despite been served with hearing notice.

Justice Lawal ordered that the eight states that were not in attendance at Thursday’s proceedings must be served with fresh hearing notice against the next adjourned date of June 13, 2024 for hearing of the matter.

The AGF, 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 marked SC/CV/343/2024, 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.

The Chief Law Officer of the Federation, in the originating summons he personally signed, 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.

Read Also:

  • Lawyer Sues Housing Ministry, FHA Over Alleged Property Redesign
  • Navy to Establish  Base in Kebbi to Tackle Inland Waterway Crimes
  • Army Commander’s Compassion Keeps 100 Students in School in Zamfara

He also wants the Apex Court to make an order stopping governors from constituting caretaker committees to run the affairs of local governments as against the Constitutionally recognized and guaranteed democratic system.

The FG further 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 Governors were sued through their respective State Attorneys General in
the suit predicted on 27 grounds, among which are that, “The Constitution of Nigeria recognizes federal, states and local governments as three tiers of government and that the three recognized tiers of government draw funds for their operation and functioning from the Federation Account created by the Constitution.

“That, by the provisions of the Constitution, there must be a democratically elected local government system and that the Constitution has not made provisions for any other systems of governance at the local government level other than democratically elected local government system.

“That, in the face of the clear provisions of the Constitution, the governors have failed and refused to put in place a democratically elected local government system even where no state of emergency has been declared to warrant the suspension of democratic institutions in the state.

“That, the failure of the governors to put democratically elected local government system in place, is a deliberate subversion of the 1999 Constitution which they and the President have sworn to uphold.

“That, all efforts to make the governors comply with the dictates of the 1999 Constitution in terms of putting in place, a democratically elected local government system, has not yielded any result and that to continue to disburse funds from the Federation Account to governors for non existing democratically elected local government is to undermine the sanctity of the 1999 Constitution.

“That, in the face of the violations of the 1999 Constitution, the federal government is not obligated under section 162 of the Constitution to pay any state, funds standing to the credit of local governments where no democratically elected local government is in place”.

The AGF therefore asked 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 councils.

He is also praying 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.

By PRNigeria

VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa/
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
  • TAGS
  • Ben Odoh
  • Minister of Justice
  • Supreme Court
Previous articleOn Citizenship and Security Consciousness, By Kabir Fagge Ali
Next articleMERCILESS OPERATION: 624 Terrorists Killed as Troops Nabbed 1,051 Criminals in one Month 
Prnigeria
Prnigeria
Xing

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Northern leaders at Arewa Summit

Northern Leaders Urge Action on Almajiri Crisis, Equitable Resources at Arewa Summit in Kaduna

Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Customs Boss

JUST IN: Tinubu Extends Tenure of Customs CG Bashir Adeniyi

AI-generated disinformation looms ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 elections

PRNigeria Fact Check: Does Delayed Baby Umbilical Cord Clamping Have Health Benefits? 

Saidu Ahmed Alkali,

Kaduna-Kano Light Rail Underway as FG Targets ₦70bn Investment

Beyond Hoes and Sticks: The Power of Education for Peace in Arewa

National Blood Service Agency

FG Pledges Stronger Support for Blood Services, Seeks Scalable Interventions from NBSA

Tinubu’s Government Unveils Multi-Sectoral Initiatives to Boost Northern Region’s Development

Minister of State for Agriculture, Dr Aliyu S. Abdullahi,

FG Redesigns Agricultural Curriculum to Empower Youth

Prof. Attahiru Jega, Co-Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Livestock Reforms,

FG Unveils Livestock Blueprint to End Herdsmen-Farmers Crisis

Saidu Ahmed Alkali,

FG Completes 135 Roads, Launches 216 New Projects in Northern Nigeria

Troops Neutralise 6 Terrorists in Coordinated Operations Across Borno, Recover Firearms

Recent Posts

  • Lawyer Sues Housing Ministry, FHA Over Alleged Property Redesign
  • Navy to Establish  Base in Kebbi to Tackle Inland Waterway Crimes
  • Army Commander’s Compassion Keeps 100 Students in School in Zamfara
  • Sam Obi Sponsors 500 Students in Evergreen, SimplifiedIQ’s Education Program
  • NIPR Hails customs Boss’ Tenure Extension as Evidence of Transformational Leadership
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
Latest News
Lawyer Sues Housing Ministry, FHA Over Alleged Property RedesignNavy to Establish  Base in Kebbi to Tackle Inland Waterway CrimesArmy Commander's Compassion Keeps 100 Students in School in ZamfaraSam Obi Sponsors 500 Students in Evergreen, SimplifiedIQ's Education ProgramNIPR Hails customs Boss' Tenure Extension as Evidence of Transformational LeadershipAkwa Ibom Boosts National Security with Land Donation for Nigerian Air Force BaseCustoms Unveils Renewable Energy Handbook, Strengthens EU-Germany-GIZ PartnershipUNIMAID Mass Comm becomes Faculty of Communication and Media StudiesTinubu’s Extension of Customs CG Bashir Adeniyi’s Tenure Draws Widespread Praise and ReactionsArmy Troops, DSS Nab Arms Trafficker in Taraba, Recover Ammunition, CashIG Reaffirms Commitment to Tackling Oil Theft, Upholding Human RightsNorthern Leaders Urge Action on Almajiri Crisis, Equitable Resources at Arewa Summit in KadunaArmy Denies Allegations of Misconduct in Imo CommunityTroops Repel Bandit Attacks in Katsina, Plateau, Recover Rustled Cattle, Sustain CasualtiesNavy Destroys 10 Illegal Refineries in Niger Delta
X whatsapp