Thirteen states in Nigeria have announced dates for local government elections following a recent Supreme Court judgment that prohibited federal allocation to councils being administered by caretaker committees. The states that have scheduled council polls include Kaduna, Kogi, Bauchi, Katsina, Osun, Enugu, Benue, Rivers, Jigawa, Imo, Kebbi, Abia, and Anambra.
The Supreme Court ruling declared it unconstitutional for state governors to hold funds allocated for local government councils. The court further stated that a state government has no power to appoint a caretaker committee and that a local government council should only be recognized with a democratically elected government. The court also barred state governors from receiving, retaining, or spending local government allocations. The Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), were reported to have scheduled a meeting to discuss the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict. The local government elections are seen as a step toward strengthening democracy and ensuring the autonomy of local government councils in Nigeria.
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