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FG drags governors to Supreme Court over alleged Local Govt Affairs misconduct
The Federal Government has dragged the 36 state governors to the Supreme Court over misconduct in the affairs of the Local Government Area.
AGF, Lateef Fagbemi SAN on behalf of the federal government instituted the court action against the governors to seek full autonomy for local governments as third tiers of government in the country.
In the suit sighted by the News Agency of Nigeria, Fagbemi said the suit was a deliberate attempt at removing local governments from alleged gross abuse by the state governors.
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 for local governments.
The governors were sued through their respective State Attorneys General.
The suit is predicted on 27 grounds among which are that the Nigeria Federation is a creation of the 1999 Constitution with President as Head of the Federal Executive arm of the Federation and has sworn to uphold and give effects to the provisions of the Constitution.
The originating summons personally signed by Fagbemi, has been fixed May, 30 for hearing.
He was praying the court for an order permitting the funds standing in the credits of local governments to be directly channeled to them from the federation account in line with the provisions of the constitution as against the alleged unlawful joint accounts created by governors.
He also sought order stopping governors from constituting caretaker committees to run the affairs of local governments as against the constitutionally recognised and guaranteed democratically system.
He 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.
Fagbemi 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 democratically 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.
A 13-paragragh affidavit in support of the originating summons deposed to by one Kelechi Ohaeri from the Federal Ministry of Justice averred that the AGF took out the suit against the governors under the original jurisdiction of the supreme court on behalf of the federal government.
The deponent asserted that local government system recognised by the constitution is a democratically elected local government council and that the amount due to local government councils from the federation account is to be paid to local government system recognised by the constitution.
That the governors represent the component states of the Federation with Executive Governors who have also sworn to uphold the Constitution and to at all times,give effects to the Constitution and that the Constitution, being the supreme law, has binding force all over the Federation of Nigeria.
Other prayers include: 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. (NAN)
The Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Muhammad Matawalle, and Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, arrived in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Friday for a high-level operational visit to Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), the military’s counter-insurgency campaign in the North East.
The visit, according to a statement by Ahmad Dan Wudil, the minister’s media aide, aims to evaluate the troops’ operational readiness, boost morale among frontline personnel, and review strategies to restore lasting peace and stability in the region.
The statement underscored the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s commitment to safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The trip comes amid growing concerns over resurgent attacks by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Borno State.
Earlier this month, Governor Babagana Zulum warned that the security situation was deteriorating, with insurgents dislodging military formations in areas such as Wulgo, Wajiroko, and Sabon Gari.
Zulum urged the federal government and security agencies to act decisively to prevent a reversal of the gains made in the fight against insurgency.
“While we appreciate the tremendous support from the federal government and the military, the current shift in focus away from the North East risks undermining our progress,” Zulum said, highlighting the need for renewed efforts to curb the escalating violence.
The minister’s visit signals a renewed commitment to addressing the security challenges in Borno, where sporadic attacks have raised fears among residents and displaced communities.
Operation HADIN KAI remains a cornerstone of Nigeria’s efforts to combat insurgency and restore stability to the troubled region.
By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
As Nigeria joins the global community to mark World Malaria Day 2025, the Caleb Danladi Foundation has stepped up its efforts to combat the disease, with a special focus on protecting vulnerable populations.
Aligning with this year’s theme, “Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite,” the Foundation facilitated the re-enrollment of hundreds of women, children, and other at-risk groups into the Kaduna State Health Insurance Scheme.
Founder of the Foundation, Captain Caleb Danladi, disclosed that the organisation fully funded the beneficiaries’ insurance premiums to enhance their access to malaria prevention and treatment services.
Speaking during Friday’s commemoration, Danladi lamented that malaria continues to claim countless lives, particularly in underserved communities.
“Healthcare is a right, not a privilege,” he said. “On this World Malaria Day, we reaffirm our commitment to saving lives through direct support, strong advocacy, and strategic investments in community health solutions.”
He emphasised the need for sustained investments in healthcare and a reimagined approach to delivering equitable services across communities.
Danladi also urged government agencies, healthcare workers, and development partners to strengthen collaboration efforts aimed at eradicating malaria, noting that safeguarding the health and dignity of Nigerians especially women and children is a shared responsibility.
The Director-General (D-G) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, stated that Africa would be minimally impacted by the tariffs imposed by the President of the United States of America (USA), Donald Trump.
Okonjo-Iweala made the remark during an interview with Nigerian journalists at the Spring Meetings of the World Bank in Washington D.C. on Friday.
She explained that only 6.5 per cent of Africa’s exports go to the USA, while 4.4 per cent of its imports come from the U.S., meaning that the impact on the continent would be minimal.
“The trade of the continent is very limited with the USA. We have done the analysis, and the impact on the continent as a whole is not significant,” she said.
However, she noted that Africa’s limited trade with the USA was also not ideal, as it hindered economic growth.
The D-G emphasised that Africa needed to focus on utilising its own resources to reach its full potential, as aid was declining, and the continent required more investment.
She pointed out that Africa must strengthen internal trade, citing Lesotho as an example.
In spite of Lesotho exporting 200 million dollars’ worth of textiles to the USA, the country faced challenges due to the shrinking U.S. market.
Okonjo-Iweala noted that Africa spent 7 billion dollars annually on importing textiles, suggesting that Lesotho should instead focus on selling textiles within African markets.
She also urged the USA to consider the effects of tariffs on least-developed countries, calling for a reassessment of the reciprocal tariffs in poorer nations.
Okonjo-Iweala concluded that Africa needed more investments and should work towards boosting intra-Africa trade, which remained underdeveloped.
“We cannot trade more externally, where our trade is only 3 per cent of world trade, or internally, where intra-Africa trade is 16 to 20 per cent at most,” she said.(NAN)