THE attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice, Lateef Fagbemi, a senior advocate, has affirmed that governors lacked the power to sack local government (LG) chairmen in their respective states.
He said doing so would translate to violating the Constitution and would not be tolerated under President Bola Tinubu’s government.
According to Fagbemi, only the legislative arm of the councils has the power to remove the chairmen and their deputies.
He cited a recent Supreme Court judgment that reaffirmed local governments’ autonomy and limited governors’ power to sack the leaders.
Fagbemi assured Nigerians that the Federal Government was committed to upholding the Constitution which guarantees the independence of LGAs.
He highlighted key reforms aimed at transforming Nigeria’s justice sector, including the newly introduced National Policy on Justice (2024-2028).
He said the policy sought to address systemic challenges in the sector and enhance the sector’s contributions to national security, electoral integrity, and economic growth.
Fagbemi had earlier threatened to file a contempt of court suit against governors who refused to comply with the Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy.
He issued the threat on Thursday, December 12, at the 2024 annual conference of the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents in Abuja.
He said he was aware that some governors embarked on legislations that appeared to be an affront to the judgment of the Supreme Court on local government autonomy.
The ICIR reported that despite the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy, the Edo State Assembly on December 17 suspended the 18 local government chairmen and their deputies for two months.
The Assembly had accused the officials of insubordination and misconduct, particularly for failing to submit financial statements as directed by the state Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The decision followed a petition submitted by the governor, accusing the council heads of refusing to submit their financial records to the state government.
The governor described their actions as insubordination and gross misconduct, urging lawmakers to address the matter.
Out of the 23 lawmakers present, 14 voted in favour of the suspension, six opposed it, and three abstained.
Following the suspension, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) launched an investigation into the activities of the suspended chairpersons of the 18 LGAs.
In a letter dated December 17, 2024, signed by the director of investigation, Abdulkarim Chukkol, the EFCC invited the suspended council leaders for questioning.
The letter, addressed to the secretary to the Edo State Government, requested comprehensive documentation regarding financial operations in the councils.
Documents requested include certified true copies of records related to staff strength and payroll, details of accounts used for salary payments, and bank statements of these accounts from January 1, 2024, to date.
A reporter with the ICIR
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