Supreme Court orders Nigerian govt to pay local govts directly

The Supreme Court has ruled that it is unconstitutional for state governors to withold funds allocated to Local Government administrations.

Justice Emmanuel Agim, reading the lead judgement, said the apex court said the 774 local government councils in the country should manage their funds themselves.

The Apex Court barred the governors from receiving, tampering or withhold funds meant for the local governments.

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim, the Federation Account was ordered to henceforth pay directly all monies standing to the local governments.

The governors were also barred from henceforth dissolving democratically elected officials for local governments and doing so would amount to a breach of the 1999 Constitution.