Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State expressed his belief that Lagos should have been exempted from the legal action taken by the Federal Government against governors at the Supreme Court over alleged misconduct in the administration of local governments.
He argued that it was a legal anomaly for the Federal Government to include Lagos in the lawsuit, considering that the local governments in the state have been enjoying full autonomy for decades.
While Sanwo-Olu supported the lawsuit and spoke in favor of the autonomy of local councils, he believed that the Attorney-General of the Federation should have identified the states that were not in compliance with the law before filing a blanket lawsuit against all states.
He made these remarks at the ongoing Justice Reform Summit organized by the Lagos State Judiciary, emphasizing the importance of a justice system that protects the interests of all parties and discourages actions that hinder the efficiency of government entities.
Sanwo-Olu highlighted that a better justice system would ensure equity and fairness, as well as interpret the constitution accurately to prevent infringements on the autonomy of local councils.
He suggested that the Attorney-General should have conducted a thorough assessment to identify non-compliant states and sue only those states, rather than suing all 36 states collectively.
The governor stressed the significance of ongoing judicial reform to enhance the administration of justice in society and maintain the court as the last resort for citizens seeking justice.
He commended the judiciary in Lagos for its commitment to upholding the rule of law and called for further efforts from judges and law officers to raise the standards of the justice system.
