The Supreme Court of Nigeria has nullified the power of state governors to sack elected Local government chairmen.
The apex court also stopped the state Houses of Assembly from empowering the governor to replace the sacked chairmen with interim administrators.
The Supreme Court, in a five man panel headed by Justice Olubolade Joe in a unanimous judgement finally put to rest as it barred state governors from having the power to sack elected local government chairmen and councilors henceforth.
Other areas of the ruling that took place yesterday 11th Dec 2019 includes::
- No state Governor will henchforth have the powers to sack dully elected local government chairmen and the appointment of caretaker chairmen is also barred .
- The act giving legislative powers to state Assembly members to under a process of sacking elected local government chairmen is NULLED and VOID .
- That only the legislative arm of the local government Council is empowered with residual constitutional backing to sack council chairmen only on areas found wanting to gross misconduct to rules guiding public servants as it’s done to the president and Governors of states.
- That a copy of the judgement should be served to all 36 state Houses of Assembly and the Minister of FCT on or before the 30th December 2019.
This judgement is sequel to an appeal filed by the 16 Ekiti state LGA chairmen who were elected during Gov Fayose Ayodele and were sacked by the incumbent governor, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state.
Justice Olubolade Joe five man panel of the Supreme Court finally buried the powers of state Assemblies and governors from sacking dully elected local government chairmen .
.culled from elomba.com
