*CBN: No LGA Has Approached Us To Open Account For Direct Allocation
*Adegboruwa: State Laws Undermine Local Government Autonomy
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The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister for Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has strongly condemned the illegal dissolution and takeover of local government administrations by state governors, describing such actions as treasonable offences. Fagbemi made this declaration on Wednesday during the opening ceremony of an event organized by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Abuja.
Represented by the Director of Civil Appeals in the Ministry of Justice, Tijani Gazali, the AGF expressed concern over the persistent disregard for the rule of law by some state governors and their assemblies. Despite a clear Supreme Court judgment and constitutional provisions prohibiting state governors from interfering in the administration of local government councils, Fagbemi noted that some governors continue to dissolve elected local government councils unlawfully.
“Let me state in unequivocal terms that this act is tantamount to treason and must be treated as such,” Fagbemi declared. He criticized state Attorneys General and Commissioners for Justice for failing to provide proper legal advice to their governors, calling for stringent penalties against any governor found guilty of such unconstitutional acts.
Fagbemi described as “worrisome” the collusion between state governors and their respective state assemblies to dismantle elected local government structures, replacing them with handpicked appointees. While acknowledging that Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution grants governors immunity from prosecution, Fagbemi insisted that the Federal Government would not tolerate the flagrant violation of the Supreme Court’s decision.
“This flagrant disobedience to the Supreme Court judgment will have unpleasant consequences for the state as a whole, should it persist,” he warned. Fagbemi noted that local government structures had nearly become extinct until his office took the matter to the Supreme Court, resulting in a ruling that reaffirmed the autonomy of local councils.
In a related development, Sirajuddin Kofo Salam-Alade, Director of Legal Services at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), addressed the issue of direct allocation of funds to Local Government Areas (LGAs). He clarified that no local government council has approached the CBN to open an account, emphasizing that the CBN does not initiate contact with customers.
Salam-Alade explained that there are established guidelines for federal, state, and local governments to operate and open accounts. He urged any LGA council wishing to open an account to visit their nearest CBN office, where the process would be verified to ensure it is initiated by the legitimate chairman of the council.
“All that ALGON needs to do is to encourage its members to approach the CBN within their locality. Within 48 hours, their problem will be solved,” Salam-Alade assured. He disclosed that the CBN had begun a Know Your Customer (KYC) process to profile individuals who would serve as signatories to local government accounts.
However, Mr. Sam Akala, a representative of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), countered the CBN’s claim, stating that the association was not aware of any formal communication regarding the account opening process. “I cannot confirm that such communication has been received officially,” Akala said, while expressing ALGON’s readiness to support grassroots development.
Human rights lawyer and activist, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, also weighed in on the issue, accusing state governments of undermining the structure of local governments through laws that strip them of their autonomy. He called on activists and civil society organizations to rise and challenge these actions, which he described as a threat to grassroots democracy and development.
In his welcome address, NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, emphasized the urgent need to protect local government autonomy, warning that failure to empower LGAs could lead to greater instability.
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