By DAYO ADESULU
No Authority to Overturn Supreme Court Decision, AGF Warns States and Individuals
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has made it clear that no state or individual has the authority to overturn the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding local government autonomy. His comments came during a media chat in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, emphasizing the binding nature of the apex court’s decision.
Response to Anambra State Local Government Administration Law 2024
Fagbemi’s remarks were prompted by the recently enacted Anambra State Local Government Administration Law 2024, which Governor Chukwuma Soludo has defended as necessary due to the complexities surrounding absolute local government autonomy. Soludo stated, “Absolute autonomy for the 774 local government areas in the country is unrealistic and could cause disorder if not carefully structured.”
Dismissal of Attempts to Amend Supreme Court Ruling
In response to Governor Soludo’s comments, Fagbemi firmly rejected any attempts to amend the Supreme Court’s ruling, questioning, “Are they going to rewrite the judgment of the Supreme Court? Once we have the full details of their law, we will act accordingly.”
Clarification on Implementation Timeline
Regarding speculation about a potential three-month grace period for implementing the ruling, Fagbemi clarified, “There is no such moratorium. The judgment was passed, but we acknowledged the need to establish certain frameworks before full implementation. Nonetheless, implementation is compulsory, and no one can avoid it.”
Fagbemi explained that the federal government is taking a cautious approach to prevent legal challenges during the enforcement of local government autonomy. “Some states have scheduled elections beyond October, and we are assessing whether those timelines are valid. We do not want to rush into implementation that could lead to legal complications or nullification by the courts,” he added.
Consequences for Non-Compliance
In closing, Fagbemi warned that any state attempting to disregard the Supreme Court ruling would be in contempt. “I am aware that one or two states are heading in that direction, but they must understand that there is no moratorium for anyone. The judgment will be enforced,” he declared.
