The Supreme Court of Nigeria has ruled that governors cannot dissolve democratically elected Local Government councils, as this would violate the country’s 1999 Constitution.
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) filed a lawsuit to stop governors from arbitrarily dissolving these councils.
The court granted financial autonomy to the 774 local government councils, allowing them to manage their own funds.
The court also ordered that Local Government allocations from the Federation Account be paid directly to the councils, not to state governments.
Reacting to the landmark ruling on Thursday, former Kaduna lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, stated that the Supreme Court has liberated local governments from over two decades of state control and exploitation.
“The Supreme Court has freed the local governments from over two decades of captivity and systemic plunder by the states,” Sani said.