Taiwo Popoola
A Kano State High Court has ruled that the federal government should not tamper with the funds belonging to the 44 local governments of the state. The ruling was delivered on Monday by Justice Musa Ibrahim Karaye after reviewing the evidence presented by the local government representatives.
Initially, the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) had sought a court order to stop the disbursement of funds to the local governments, alleging irregularities in the local government elections conducted by the state electoral commission in October 2024.
Earlier, the court had issued an interim order directing the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, and all commercial banks not to tamper with the funds until the case was concluded.
Speaking to Newsmen after the ruling, Barrister Bashir Yusuf Tudun Wuzirchi, who represented the 44 local governments in the case, said: “We filed the case to protect Kano State from forces attempting to obstruct development by targeting the local governments.
“Today, by God’s grace, the court ruled in our favour, granting all our requests. It also directed the federal government to refrain from tampering with these funds, which constitutionally belong to the local governments.”
Efforts to get a response from the legal representatives of the opposition party were unsuccessful. It remains uncertain whether they will appeal the decision.
The NNPP and APC remain locked in a fierce political rivalry in Kano State as they seek to win public support ahead of the 2027 general elections.
