The Supreme Court of Nigeria has reserved judgment in a high-stakes legal battle between the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Osun State Government over the release of withheld local government funds to controversial council chairmen elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, who presided over a seven-member panel of the apex court, reserved judgment after hearing submissions from counsel to both parties — Musibau Adetunbi, representing the Attorney-General of Osun State, and Akin Olujimi, appearing for the AGF. The court said the date for the judgment would be communicated to the parties in due course.
WATCH FULL VIDEO ON SYMFONI TV
Osun AG Challenges AGF’s Recognition of APC Chairmen
In the originating summons, the Osun State Attorney-General sought an order compelling the AGF to immediately release statutory allocations to the 30 local government areas of the state, arguing that funds should go to council chairmen and councillors “validly elected” in accordance with the law.
The plaintiff also prayed the Supreme Court to restrain the AGF from further withholding or seizing monthly allocations and revenues belonging to the local councils, insisting that democratically elected chairmen were in place and entitled to the funds.
The Osun government’s contention is rooted in its claim that the AGF acted improperly by issuing a letter recognizing the APC-elected chairmen, despite the fact that the election that brought them to office had been nullified by a Federal High Court and the decision subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
Representing the state, Adetunbi urged the apex court to uphold his client’s arguments and grant all the reliefs sought.
On the other hand, Olujimi, counsel to the AGF, argued that the plaintiff lacked the legal capacity to institute the action and that the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction to entertain it under its original jurisdiction. He maintained that the case disclosed no reasonable cause of action and that the funds in question ought to be released to the incumbent council chairmen, whose tenure remains valid until October 22 this year.
ALSO TRENDING:
Oshiomhole Gripped by Atiku Fever – Fabiyi
He also accused the Osun Attorney-General of engaging in abuse of court process by initiating multiple suits in different high courts on the same subject matter, involving the same parties.
Olujimi therefore urged the court to dismiss the case in its entirety.
Comments 2