The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has confirmed that the federal government is committed to implementing the Supreme Court’s judgment that grants full financial autonomy to all 774 local government areas in the country.
Speaking on Sunday at Afe Babalola University in Ado-Ekiti, after receiving an honorary Doctor of Law degree, Fagbemi dismissed claims that state governments were granted a moratorium on the implementation. He clarified that the delay was due to the federal government putting necessary measures in place to ensure smooth and effective execution of the ruling.
“There is no moratorium; moratorium for what?” Fagbemi said, stressing that the government remains determined to ensure that local governments receive their allocations directly from the federation account, in accordance with the law.
The Attorney General emphasized that the government’s approach is aimed at preventing any setbacks during implementation. “The judgment will be implemented, that is sacrosanct. We are only ensuring that everything is in place to avoid problems when the full implementation begins,” he added.
Fagbemi warned against attempts by some states to disregard the court ruling, hinting that actions would be taken against any state that attempts to violate the judgment. “We don’t want to go back to square one. I am aware of one or two states trying to commit contempt of court. Once we have the full picture, we will take the necessary action,” he said.
The Supreme Court’s judgment is seen as a major step toward ensuring development at the grassroots level, giving local governments full control over their finances and reducing reliance on state governments.
The move comes as President Bola Tinubu’s administration seeks to strengthen governance structures at the local level, fulfilling a longstanding demand for financial independence of local governments across Nigeria.
