The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has stated that the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government autonomy is definitive and cannot be overturned.
While speaking in Ado Ekiti on October 22, Fagbemi emphasized that the judgment must be respected by state governors and clarified that there is no three-month grace period for its implementation. He noted that the federal government is not rushing the process but acknowledged the need for certain frameworks to be established before full implementation.
Fagbemi stated, “It has been misreported that a three-month moratorium was given to the governors, which is not accurate. While the judgment has been delivered, we recognize the need for preparations before full implementation. However, it is essential to understand that implementation is mandatory, and no one can evade it.”
His remarks come in light of the recent passage of the Anambra State Local Government Administration Law 2024, which Governor Chukwuma Soludo described as necessary due to the complexities surrounding complete local government autonomy.
