Supreme Court To Hear FG’s Suit Seeking Autonomy For LGs June 13, Gives States Seven Days To File Defence

By Ayodele Oni

The Supreme Court has  fixed June 13 for hearing in the suit filed by the Attorney General of the federation, Lateef Fagbemi seeking full autonomy for the 774 local councils in the country.

The apex court also ordered the 36 state governors to file within seven days their respective defence in the suit.

It also mandated the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), who filed the suit on behalf of the federal government to reply to the governors processes within two days upon receipt.

A seven member panel of Justices of the apex court, led by Justice Garba Lawal on Thursday, issued the orders while ruling on an application filed by the AGF, seeking abridgement of time in the filing and exchange of processes in the matter.

Fagbemi, while arguing the application requested the court to order the governors to file their defense within five days in view of the urgency and importance of the matter.

However, the Chairman, Body of Attorneys General of the states of the federation, Ben Odoh, who is also the Attorney General of Ebony state did not object to the request for abridgement of time, but requested that they be given 15 days as against the five days proposed by the AGF.

Justice Lawal, in his ruling said, the decision of the court to give 7 days was predicated on the national importance and urgency of the suit and the non objection from the Attorneys General of the 36 states of the federation.

The Supreme Court held that filing of all processes and exchanging of same must be completed within the time and subsequently fixed June 13, 2024 for hearing of the suit.

At Thursday’s proceedings, the Attorneys General of  Borno, Kano, Kogi, Niger, Ogun, Osun , Oyo and Sokoto states were absent in court and not represented by any lawyer despite been served with hearing notice.

Justice Lawal ordered that the eight states that were not in attendance at Thursday’s proceedings must be served with fresh hearing notice against the next adjourned date of June 13, 2024 for hearing of the matter.