LG Autonomy: We go put any officials for prison wey dey help governors carry allocation money — FG

Di Federal Government, yesterday December 13, 2024, talk say dem go carry out criminal actions against some elected officials wey dey join hands with governors to take thief allocation money wey dem suppose give di 774 Local Government Areas for di country.

Di Federal Government, through di Attorney-General of di Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, don on December 13, talk say di decision dey in line with di judgment of di Supreme Court wey grant financial autonomy to LGs.

Di AGF, wey talk for di 2024 Annual General Conference of di Abuja Chapter of di National Association of Judiciary Correspondents, NAJUC, com describe di diversion of LG funds by governors as impeachable offence.

Him talk say di Federal Government dey aware say some governors don plant dia loyalists for di different LGs through shambolic elections.

According to di Justice Minister, even though FG no fit interfere with di LG elections, e go drag di elected officials take go court if dem still dey mismanage di money wey dem release to dem from di federation account.

Him com insist say na di deplorable condition of many LG Secretariats across di country move FG to drag di 36 state governors before di Supreme Court.

Di AGF talk say him office no go fail to file anoda action to take challenge di powers of di state governments to take conduct Area Council elections.

Him talk: “Di situation be say even wen di secretariat need to buy materials wey pipo dey use take write for office work, you go notify di governor in advance say you wan spend your money.”

“And we don dey listen to dis kind funny arguments before and afta di judgment, to di effect say, oh, dem no dey mature enough.?”

“And we don follow dey draw dis enta di ears of di local government officials say look, di governors get immunity, but you no get.”

“So, e dey very easy for you to get yourself to Kuje or other prisons wey dey full every wia for Naija.”

“Before I go talk more for di mata, make I talk say even before di pronouncement of di Supreme Court, plenty pressures don dey com from left, right and center.”

“But I go give kudos to President Bola Tinubu, wey even for inside di pressure, fit still stand up and talk say him be di President of di Federal Republic of Nigeria and say di 774 local governments na pipo wey need to dey protected and him dey do am.”

Di CJN, wey dem represent by di Secretary of di National Judicial Institute, Mr. Abdullaziz Olumo, don oda journalists to avoid sensationalism for news reporting.

She com still show her concern over wetin she dey call “trial by media,” wia premature narratives dey prejudge cases, sometimes dey break law of di constitutional rights.

Earlier for him keynote address, Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, talk say di need for di court to continue to live up to expectation by ensuring say justice no dey sacrificed for di altar of technicalities.

As him dey speak for di theme of di conference: “Di role of di courts for di enforcement of judgments,” Ozekhome maintain say courts must hold di balance of scale between feuding parties”

“Even as him advise di judges against denying lawyers di opportunity to effectively present dia case for court.

For him welcome address, di Chairman of di Abuja Chapter of NAJUC, Mr. Kayode Lawal, while pledging di commitment of di media to fair and balanced reporting, also call for holistic reform wey go ensure say lawyers wey dey compromise judges, dey promptly and adequately punished.

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