Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has issued a stern warning to state governments attempting to circumvent the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government autonomy, emphasizing that no state has the authority to rewrite the landmark judgment.
Speaking to reporters in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, Mr Fagbemi specifically addressed recent actions by some states, notably Anambra, where Governor Chukwuma Soludo signed a bill maintaining state oversight over local government areas, contrary to the Supreme Court’s decision.
“Unfortunately I know it has been in the media that they gave them (governors) three months moratorium which is not the position,” Fagbemi stated,
clarifying misconceptions about the implementation timeline. “The position is that yes the judgment was delivered but we felt that there is a need to put some things in place before the full implementation.”
The AGF emphasized the federal government’s commitment to ensuring that all 774 local government areas receive their allocations directly from the federation account, supporting President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s stance on grassroots development.
Addressing implementation concerns, Fagbemi explained, “What we want to look at is; are they genuine when they said they are fixing the election beyond October? When did they first moot the idea? What is the law of their state however imperfect it may be?”
The minister acknowledged awareness of states attempting to defy the court’s ruling: “I know there are one or two states that are trying to commit contempt of court.”
However, he maintained a measured approach, stating, “I won’t comment until they do the enactment to see where it takes us and where we are going. Are they going to re-write the judgment of the Supreme Court?”
The Explainer learned, the strong stance from the federal government comes in response to resistance from some state governors, including Governor Soludo, who argued that complete local government autonomy could lead to chaos and impede sustainable development.
The AGF emphasized that while implementation procedures need careful consideration, the judgment’s execution remains “sacrosanct.”
He explained that the federal government is working to ensure proper implementation without creating legal complications, particularly regarding local government elections already scheduled in some states.
“For instance, in the conduct of elections in some states, they will give six-month notice. If they don’t do that we know that no matter the kind of election you conduct, the court will nullify it,” Fagbemi explained, highlighting the need for careful procedural adherence.
The minister stressed that the federal government wants to avoid scenarios where improper implementation could lead to legal challenges and election nullifications, forcing stakeholders to “return to square one.”