The Federal Government has warned chairmen of the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria against mismanaging allocated funds.
Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who gave the warning on Thursday, December12, 2024, said that the local government chairmen must understand that they do not have immunity like state governors thus, risk going to jail if they misuse Council’s funds.
This was as he also declared that any state governor who tampers with such funds, shall be guilty of gross mis-conduct, which is an impeachable offense.
Fagbemi, who stated this at the 2024 Annual Conference of the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents (NAJUC), Abuja, stressed the critical role, local governments play in delivering grassroots development, thus, urged local government Councils chairmen and other officials to prioritize their constitutional duties.
In his paper titled, “Aftermath of Supreme Court judgment on Local Government Financial Autonomy: What Next? Fagbemi also said that by the July 11, 2024 judgement of the Supreme Court, which granted financial autonomy to LGAs in the country, any governor who tampers with the finances of the LGAs in his state is seen to have committed a gross-mis-conduct, which is an impeachable offence.
He said that the financial autonomy granted to local governments by the Supreme Court was designed to empower them to carry out their responsibilities effectively.
In the words of Fagbemi; “If any local government chairman chooses to misuse public funds and fail to deliver on his or her constitutional mandates, such local government chairman risks going to jail.
“Any debt incurred by governors, in relation to the official function of state government must be handled by the state. It should not be shared with the local government areas, as such projects are not the constitutional responsibilities of local governments”.
Fagbemi particularly commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for its commitment to strengthening governance structures at all levels and urged local government officials to embrace transparency, stressing that the era of impunity was over.
The AGF called on the media to ensure accurate and responsible reporting of issues relating to governance and judicial proceedings, saying that good governance is a collaborative effort, thus, every tier of government must be held accountable.
In her speech, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), said the judiciary and the media occupy unique and complementary roles in the development of the society.
Kekere-Ekun, who was represented by the Secretary of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Mr. Abdullaziz Olumo, said that while the judiciary serves as the guardian of justice, equity and the rule of law, the media act as the conscience of the society, by dissenting information, shaping public opinion and ensuring accountability.
The CJN also said that the media is entrusted with the responsibility of informing the public about judicial activities, adding that the judiciary relies on accurate and ethical reportage to enhance public confidence in its work.
Kekere-Ekun, who described the media as a critical partner of the judiciary in advancing democracy, however expressed concern over sensationalism in news reporting, which she noted distorts facts and undermines public confidence in the judiciary.
The CJN stressed the dangers of “trial by media,” where premature narratives prejudge cases, sometimes infringing on constitutional rights.
In his keynote address, Prof Mike Ozekhome, SAN, said the legal profession is key to the existence of a stable society and therefore charged the judiciary to live up to expectations in ensuring that their judgements reflect justice and not on technicalities.
Speaking on the theme of the conference, “The role of courts in enforcement of judgements”, Prof Ozekhome stressed that judgment of court must be obeyed until set aside by a higher court, adding that the courts hold the balance of scale between feuding parties, otherwise, there would be chaos in the country.
He also emphasised that the court is critical in ensuring that judgements are enforced and complied with and therefore warned lawyers against meeting Judges behind to ask for help in cases before them.
He said; “Lawyers are supposed to argue their case in court. Judges too should allow lawyers to argue their cases in court. Lawyers should be allowed to draw the attention of Judges to salient points in their processes instead of asking them to just adopt their processes without an opportunity to adumbrate,” he advised.
Ozekhome also advised judges to avoid attending events organised by politically exposed persons with cases before them just as he cautioned judges to eschew corruption no matter how they are roped in beautiful garments.
In the words of Ozekhme; “The time has now come for Judges to form an association so that, they can defend themselves in some of the unfounded allegations levelled against them”.
