THE Supreme Court, on Thursday, gave the 36 state governors of the federation, seven days to file their defence to the suit brought against them by the Federal Government through the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
The apex court held that filing of all processes and exchanging of same must be completed within nine days.
It, therefore, adjourned till June 13 for the hearing of the suit.
In the suit, marked SC/CV/343/2024, the Federal Government wants the apex court to enforce the autonomy of the local government by, among other things, stopping state governors from appointing caretaker committees to administer local governments in their states.
The Federal Government wants the Supreme Court to rule that any local government manned by a caretaker committee instead of an elected local government chairman and councillors should have their funds from the Federation Account withheld.
It also wants the court to rule that funds due to local governments from the Federation Account should be paid directly to them instead of through the state government to guarantee their autonomy.
The suit came up for hearing for the first time on Thursday before a seven-man panel of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Garba Lawal.
The AGF appeared in person for the Federal Government, while 28 states 36 states were represented by their attorneys general.
The states not reprsented were Borno, Kano, Kogi, Niger, Ogun, Osun , Oyo and Sokoto.
The AGF, while addressing the court, said the suit was urgent and moved an application for an abridgment of time to ensure an accelerated or speedy hearing.
“We have filed our written address. From the nature of the case, it is one that requires urgency and I am happy to report that there is no counter-affidavit,” the AGF said.
The Attorney General of Ebonyi State, Dr Ben Odo, who is the Chairman of the Body of States Attorneys General, speaking on behalf of the body, said they had a meeting and he had their consent not to object to AGF’s motion for abridgment of time.
“I have the consent of all the attorneys general not to oppose the motion,” Odo said.
However, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), who represented the Anambra State Attorney General, asked for more time.
“Some of us have just become aware of the summons. There are vital issues. From the report I received, the AG of my state has yet to receive the process. I am asking for 10 days instead of five,” he submitted.
The AGF, however, asked the court to give them seven days as nine days had already elapsed.
The apex court, in its ruling, agreed with the AGF and gave the states seven days to file their defence.
The court also directed that the AGF would file his reply two days after being served with the defence of the states.