Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, has stated that the recent Supreme Court ruling affirming the financial autonomy of local governments (LGs) is final and cannot be overturned.
The ruling asserts that state governments no longer have the constitutional right to withhold or manage funds allocated to local governments, a move that has been seen as essential for empowering grassroots governance. Fagbemi emphasized that no one can revisit or alter the decision, affirming the Supreme Court’s authority as the final interpreter of constitutional matters.
This judgment ensures that local governments will now have direct access to their funds, which were previously controlled by state governors, marking a significant shift in the power dynamics between state and local authorities. The ruling is expected to enhance governance at the grassroots level by improving service delivery, as local councils will now have more control over their resources.
