The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has attributed the persistent abuse of local governments by state governors to a flaw in the 1999 Constitution. Speaking at a conference organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review on Monday, Fagbemi stated that the constitution’s ambiguity has led to local governments being treated as subsidiaries of state governments.

Fagbemi emphasized that the constitution failed to provide clear guidelines for the political autonomy of local governments, granting state governments excessive discretion over local government elections and political activities. He noted that this constitutional oversight has resulted in confusion over the roles and responsibilities of both state and local authorities, hindering the capacity of local government areas to deliver essential services to grassroots communities.

It is worth noting that the Attorney General has previously filed a lawsuit against the 36 state governments at the Supreme Court, seeking clarity on local government autonomy.