Supreme Court to rule on local council autonomy Thursday

The Supreme Court will deliver judgment on the suit seeking full autonomy for the country’s local councils on Thursday.

The apex court sent the notice on the ruling to lawyers representing the parties in the suit on Wednesday.

The Federal Government on May 26 dragged the 36 states to the Supreme Court over their reluctance to grant autonomy to the 774 local councils in the country.

In the suit filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation, and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, the federal government asked the court to grant an order preventing the governors from arbitrarily dissolving democratically elected councils.

READ ALSO: Shettima tasks lawyers on rule of law, judicial autonomy

The federal government asked the apex court to invoke Sections 1, 4, 5, 7, and 14 of the constitution to declare that the governors and state Houses of Assembly are under obligation to ensure democratically elected systems in the local councils.

It also asked the Supreme Court to order the direct transfer of funds from the federation account to local councils in accordance with the constitution, among other measures.

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