LG Autonomy: Supreme Court Issues 7 Days For State Govts To File Defence
The Supreme Court has ordered Nigeria’s 36 state governors to file their respective defence to a suit instituted against them by the federal government seeking full autonomy of local governments.
The order was issued on Thursday by a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Garba Lawal, at the preliminary hearing of the suit in Abuja.
In a short ruling on an application by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, for abridgment of time, the Supreme Court ordered the Attorneys-General of various states representing the state governors to file their counter-affidavits to the plaintiff’s originating summons within seven days from Thursday, 30 May.
READ: FG Sues 36 State Governors Over LG Autonomy
The presiding justice, Mr. Lawal, equally ordered the AGF to file his response to the governors counter affidavits within two days after being served with the filings.
Mr Lawal said all filings and exchange of documents must be concluded on or before 10 June.
The justice ordered that the eight states that had no legal representation at Thursday’s proceedings must be served with fresh hearing notices.
The states are: Borno, Kano, Kogi, Niger, Ogun, Osun, Oyo and Sokoto.
The court adjourned the suit until 13 June for a hearing.
Earlier at Thursday’s hearing, the states’ Attorneys-General represented by Ben Odoh, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ebonyi State, informed the court that the respondents had yet to see the federal government’s originating summons because the court filings were served at the various States liaison offices in Abuja.
Mr Odoh, the Chairman of the body of states’ Attorneys-General, said he was served on May 21 with the originating summons.
He urged the court to grant the respondents 14 days to respond to the suit.
But the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), prayed the court to order the governors to file their defence within five days.
