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OPINION: LGs And Tinubu’s Supreme Cut [Monday Lines (2)]

By Lasisi Olagunju
On a bright, randy day in Lagos in the year 2015, a judge hurriedly used the law to dissolve a troubled marriage. Three months later, the woman was discovered impregnated by the tender-hearted judge. I pray that won’t be the case with the benevolent presidency of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigeria’s local governments.
Roman orator, Marcus Tullius Cicero, said “the closer the collapse of the Empire, the crazier its laws are.” He is also credited with saying that “the more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws.” These interventions from antiquity came to my mind as I read the Supreme Court’s epochal decision on the relationship between our states and our local governments last week.
Local governments are now free to have their money the way they had it before the 1999 constitution tied them to the apron strings of the states. Governors cryptically reacted that the judgment had relieved them of the burden of feeding those who should starve among the councils. I am interested in how the Supreme Court’s order is implemented. I am also interested in knowing the motive and the motivations of the initiators of the case. I hope the councils have not been discharged into the house of death from the bedroom of disease.
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How will the states handle this situation? How did Tinubu handle his own 20 years ago? If you are bold and brave and you are in power and you have the Lagos-Ibadan press behind you, the Supreme Court and the law are nothing. On December 10, 2004, the Supreme Court, in the celebrated case on the seizure of Lagos State’s local government funds by the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo, ruled that statutory allocations be released to only the 20 local governments recognized by the constitution. Specifically, the Supreme Court ordered that: “The 57 Local Government Areas established by (Lagos) Law No. 5 are inchoate until the National Assembly passes the Act necessary under Section 8(3) of the Constitution. Therefore, the new 57 Local Government Councils are not entitled to receive funds from the Federation Account. Accordingly, the declaration sought (by the Federal Government) is granted.” That order of the apex court did not stop the then Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu (with his successors) from using the funds of 20 local government councils to fund his illegal 57 councils. He did it yesterday and got what is famously known as Conference 57 – a crowd of well-heeled, monied foot soldiers of the Godfather at the grassroots of Lagos. He is doing it now, enlarging that coast to a potential Conference 774 of Halleluyah choristers. He will do it tomorrow – even if you jump into the Lagoon. Our state governors, if they want, can go learn from him.
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In my column of 3 June, 2024, I expressed some fears on what was eventually unveiled last week Thursday by the Supreme Court of Nigeria. I wrote that: “Those who allowed themselves to be distracted slept last night as free people; they woke up this morning in slavery. So, please refuse to be distracted. As you discuss the president’s strange choice of anthem over people’s hunger, pay due attention to everything his government is doing. Pay more than ordinary attention to the local government autonomy case at the Supreme Court. That is a case with a potential to determine (or undermine) your freedom, the health of our country and the safety of our democracy. Why is fox suing hawk in defence of chicken? Autocracy incubates itself in populist confusion. The case is about that. We need vibrant states to checkmate the behemoth in Abuja. We need the local governments to drive development at the grassroots. The rapacious Federal is the elephant unsettling the room. Think of an imperial president with very rich 774 ‘liaison officers’ sitting as council chairmen across the country. Think of a federal government with limitless powers engaging a disparate set of 36 weakened, impotent states. Think of Nigeria as a unitary state. The court case …has the potential to achieve that. The deft moves of today have replicas in history… Think of the aftermath. Think.”
That was last month. I don’t know if it is not too late to think now.
News
UNIMAID, Federal Polytechnic Matriculate 82 Degree Students

University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in affiliation with the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi has matriculated 82 students into the degree programmes across five courses.
Speaking during the matriculation ceremony at the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi on Tuesday, Professor Muhammad Laminu Mele, the Vice chancellor, University of Maiduguri, charged the matriculated students to strictly adhere to the rules and regulations guiding the two institutions to enable them achieve the set objectives.
The VC, who was represented by Professor Muhammad Ahmad Waziri, Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Services, warned that any student or group of students trying to breach the peace of the two institutions would face the full wrath of the law.
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The Don further assured that the University and its affiliated institutions would continue to make easy access to higher quality education to the teeming population across the country.
In a remark, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Alhaji Sani Usman, said they were affiliated with the university to pursue academic excellence, describing the affiliation as a huge pillar in the education reforms.
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The Rector, who was also represented by Dr. Dalhatu Saidu, the Deputy Rector of the Polymeric, commended the university of Maiduguri for not only improving the UNIMAID’s conducive learning environment but expanding the horizon to different higher institutions of learning across Nigeria.
He therefore advised the newly matriculated students to pursue knowledge, to interact freely with the Polytechnic staff, be vigilant and be a brother’s keeper, adding that this would help to achieve the desired objectives.
The affiliated courses included BSc Mass Communication, BSc Accountancy, BSc Public Administration, BSc Business Administration and BSc Banking and Finance respectively.
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Trouble Looms As Egbesu Group Drags FG To Court Over Resource Control, Others

Group known as Supreme Egbesu Assembly (SEA) has dragged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to a Federal High Court, Yenagoa, over failure to create additional 24 Local government councils in Bayelsa State as the need for Ijaw to control natural resources in its territory.
The Originating Summons marked: FHC/YNA/CS/63/2026 was filed on Tuesday April 21, 2026 by the plaintiffs including; Felix Tuodolo, Weri Digifa, Ebi Waribigha, Kabowei Akamade, Rosebella Jackson, Thomas Jacklloyd, Primrose Kpokposei, David Imole and Welman Warri at the Federal High Court Yenagoa.
Joined as defendants in the suit are the National Assembly, the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Attorney General of the Federation.
In the court documents, the Egbesu Assembly premised their action on the alleged failure of the federal government particularly the National Assembly to deliberate, approve and amend the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
This, according to them, is to allow for resource control as well as the creation of additional LGAs in the state to fulfil the requirements in line with the Constitution.
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The group is therefore seeking, among others, the amendment of the constitution by the National Assembly to allow for the right to resource control.
The Supreme Egbesu Assembly described the suit action as a promise kept.
Mranwh, In a press statement announcing the institution of the lawsuit on Tuesday, the Egbesu Assembly recalled that, on 12th February 2026, it wrote to both the Federal Government and the National Assembly wherein its gave a 21-Day ultimatum for the duo to respond to the age-long demands for resource control and creation of additional LGAs or face a lawsuit.
The statement partly reads: “Recall that on 12th February 2026, we did inform you that we have written to the National Assembly and the federal government on the need for the creation of an additional 24 Local Government Areas in Bayelsa State as well as the control of our God-given natural resources in Ijaw territory.
“We promised that if the National Assembly and or federal government did not respond to these age-long demands, we were going to seek legal actions to address our demands.
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“We gave a time frame of twenty-one days for them to respond to us—we got no response!
“Today the Supreme Egbesu Assembly (SEA) has kept to its promise.
“We instituted an action at the Federal High Court Yenagoa against the National Assembly and the Federal Government after the expiration of the 21 days. Today we were in court for the first hearing of both cases.”
According to the group, creation of additional local government areas for Bayelsa is as old as the creation of the State itself.
The SEA maintained that “there is nowhere in any democracy where a state is limited to just 8 LGAs: more pathetic is the fact that Bayelsa State is an oil bearing State.
“Bayelsa State presently has twenty four Rural Development Authorities (RDA) which can be easily converted to Local Government areas thereby making the State eligible to participate in the sharing of allocation and the development of their areas for the purpose of justice and equity.
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“Gentlemen, we wish to inform you that our suit on Resource Control is a revival of our age long agitation.”
The group further stated that Nigeria can no longer operate a system where contributors to the national coffers are not in charge of their resources.
The group added that the lawsuit is therefore for the Ijaw people.
“The Ijaw Nation must be free from all economic strangulation carried out against them by successive Governments,” they added.
The SEA called on all Ijaws to be steadfast and resolute, and continue to support the process by attending all court sessions, stating that “your solidarity is very vital at this point of time in our history. “
The group also called on other Ijaw organizations, communities, Niger Delta people, organizations and all people of goodwill “to join in the march to control and manage our despoiled and mismanaged natural resources.”
News
BREAKING: Tinubu Sacks Wale Edun, Dangiwa As Ministers

President Bola Tinubu has approved a minor reshuffle of the Federal Executive Council, removing the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, from their cabinet positions.
Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yomi Odunuga, said the development was contained in a memo signed by the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
According to the memo, Taiwo Oyedele has been appointed as the new Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.
Also appointed is Dr. Muttaqha Darma as Minister-designate for Housing and Urban Development.
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The memo directed the outgoing ministers to complete handover processes to their respective successors or supervising officials.
It stated that all handing over and taking over activities must be concluded on or before the close of business on Thursday, 23rd April, 2026.
Explaining the decision, Akume said the changes were aimed at improving coordination and strengthening delivery across key sectors of the economy under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“These changes are aimed at strengthening cohesion, synergy in governance as well as achieving more impactful delivery on the economy to Nigerians, through the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Akume stated.
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He added that President Tinubu acted in line with his constitutional powers as provided under Sections 147 and 148 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The SGF also conveyed the President’s appreciation to the outgoing ministers for their service to the nation and wished them well in their future endeavours, noting that the process of cabinet reinvigoration would remain continuous.
The statement further noted that Taiwo Oyedele was appointed as Minister of State for Finance in March 2026, while Edun was among the ministers appointed on August 16, 2023.
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