By Hadiza Suleman
The Supreme Court, Thursday, ruled that it is unconstitutional for state governors to withhold funds meant for local governments (LG) in their states.
In its lead judgement read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the apex court observed that the refusal of state governments on financial autonomy for local governments has gone on for over two decades.
He said local governments had since stopped receiving the money meant for them from the state governors who act in their stead.
Justice Agim noted that the 774 local government councils in the country should manage their funds themselves.
The allegations have been made over the years that state governors in Nigeria corner the allocations of local government areas in their state.
At the court ruling on Thursday, Justice Agim dismissed the preliminary objections of state governors who are the defendants in the case.
