The Federal Government has announced plans to take legal action against elected officials who collaborate with governors to divert funds allocated to the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across Nigeria.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, disclosed this at the 2024 Annual General Conference of the Abuja Chapter of the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents (NAJUC). He said the move aligns with a Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to LGAs.

Fagbemi described the misappropriation of LGA funds by governors as an impeachable offense and criticized the practice of planting loyalists in LGAs through questionable elections. While the Federal Government cannot interfere in local elections, it will prosecute any elected officials who mismanage funds from the federation account.

The AGF noted that the Federal Government’s decision to sue the 36 state governors at the Supreme Court was prompted by the poor state of LGA secretariats nationwide. He warned that his office would challenge state governments’ authority to conduct Area Council elections if such practices continue.

He said, “Even when secretariats needed to buy stationery, governors had to be notified in advance. Some argued that LGAs lack maturity to manage funds, but I ask, are the governors any better? Leave them to handle their funds. Governors have immunity, but local government officials don’t. Mismanagement could easily land them in prison.”

Fagbemi commended President Bola Tinubu for upholding the financial autonomy of LGAs despite significant opposition, emphasizing that the 774 LGAs deserve protection as much as other citizens.

In related remarks, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), represented by the Secretary of the National Judicial Institute, Abdullaziz Olumo, cautioned journalists against sensationalism and “trial by media,” which can prejudice cases and infringe on constitutional rights.

Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, urged the judiciary to prioritize justice over technicalities. Speaking on the conference theme, “The Role of Courts in the Enforcement of Judgments,” he emphasized that courts must remain impartial and warned judges against denying lawyers adequate opportunities to present their cases.

In his welcome address, NAJUC Abuja Chapter Chairman Kayode Lawal pledged media commitment to balanced reporting and called for reforms to ensure lawyers who compromise judicial integrity are held accountable.