SUPREME COURT VERDICT FREED LGs FROM CAPTIVITY, SYSTEMIC PLUNDER- SHEHU SANI. (PHOTO).

 Supreme Court verdict freed LGs from captivity, systemic plunder – Shehu Sani

Former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani has said the Supreme Court’s judgement which declared it illegal and unconstitutional for governors to receive and seize funds allocated to local governments in their states freed the LGs from decades of captivity and systemic plunder.

The vocal ex-lawmaker said this in a Thursday post on X.

Daily Sun reported that the Supreme Court on Thursday delivered a landmark judgement barring state governments from further retaining or utilising funds meant for the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the country.

The apex court described the state governments’ practice as a “dubious” one which violated Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

Justice Emmanuel Agim, who read the lead judgement, ordered that the local governments must henceforth be paid their allocations from the federation account “since paying them through states has not worked”.

Reacting to the judgement, Sani said, “The Supreme Court has freed the Local Governments from over two decades of captivity and systemic plunder by the States.”

Meanwhile, the Socio-Economic Rights And Accountability Project (SERAP) has threatened to sue the 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) if they fail to give an account of the local government funds they have collected.

In an X post shortly after the judgement, SERAP said, “BREAKING: Following the Supreme Court decision declaring unlawful the use [or misuse] by Nigeria’s 36 governors of the funds meant for local governments, we call on the governors and FCT minister to account for and return the funds they have collected, or face legal action.”