Strengthen judgment on LG autonomy, N’Assembly urged

A senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Dr Alex Izinyon, has called on the National Assembly to enact laws that would give adequate effect to the Supreme Court’s judgment on local council autonomy.

He criticised the federal legislature for “failing to meet expectations despite the apex court’s efforts to ensure the right thing is done in local government administration in the country.”

On July 11, 2024, the Supreme Court, in a landmark judgment, declared that funds accruing to the council areas should be directly paid into their accounts for smooth administration.

According to Izinyon, the decision attracted several accolades from laymen, jurists, scholars, legal pundits and lawyers, stating however that there is the other side of the divide which differed.

“Their contention primarily, is that it amounted to judicial legislation and making pronouncement against the principle of federalism.  Even politicians also had their day and say,” he said.

Izinyon, in a statement yesterday, asserted that the Supreme Court indubitably and constitutionally remains the final court of the land, saying they are final in all ramifications of finality in any dispute that is brought before it.