Supreme court rules FG is not responsible for funding state judiciary

The supreme court has ruled that it is not the responsibility of the federal government to fund the capital and recurrent expenditure of state judiciary.

Back in 2020, it was reported that 36 state governments filed a suit against the Federal Government over the funding of superior courts created by Section 6 of the constitution (read here).

The states, in the suit with Ref. No. SC/655/2020, had asked the apex court to declare, among others, that it is the responsibility of the Federal Government to bear both the recurrent and capital expenditures.

Governors of the 36 states also demanded a refund of the N66 billion they spent on maintenance of courts in their domain, insisting it’s the responsibility of the Federal Government to maintain such courts.

On Oct. 4, 2021, the Federal Government told the Supreme Court that it cannot continue to fund state courts.

However, in a split judgment on Friday, Feb. 11, four out of a seven-member panel of the apex court held that the responsibility of funding state courts lies with the state governments.