Nobody can revisit Supreme Court ruling on LG Autonomy — AGF

 The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has emphasised that no state or individual has the authority to challenge or amend the Supreme Court's ruling on local government (LG) autonomy.

 

During a media interaction in Ado Ekiti, Fagbemi clarified that the Supreme Court's decision on this matter is final, legally binding, and must be adhered to by all parties.

His statement came after Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State introduced the Anambra State Local Government Administration Law 2024, which attempts to address what Soludo described as the complexities surrounding full local government autonomy. 

Soludo had expressed concerns that absolute autonomy for the 774 local government areas (LGAs) in Nigeria might lead to disorder if not carefully structured. 

Fagbemi, however, firmly dismissed any attempt to reinterpret or alter the Supreme Court’s ruling, indicating that once the details of Anambra State's law are fully reviewed, appropriate action will be taken. 

He also rejected claims that a grace period had been granted for states to comply with the ruling, stressing that although there may be frameworks to establish, implementation of the ruling is inevitable and immediate.

The AGF further noted that the federal government is cautiously assessing states’ timelines for scheduled local government elections, particularly those slated for after October. This is to ensure that the enforcement of LG autonomy proceeds without legal challenges or complications. 

Fagbemi warned that any state attempting to sidestep the ruling would be in contempt of the Supreme Court's judgment, reaffirming that enforcement of local government autonomy is non-negotiable.