The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has called on State Attorneys-General to uphold the rule of law by ensuring full compliance with the Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to local governments.
ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), made the call on Monday in Akure during a one-day roundtable engagement with Attorneys-General in the South West, focused on strengthening the commission’s capacity for corruption prevention. The event had the theme: Institutional Integrity and Regional Cooperation: The Role of Attorneys-General in Advancing a Corruption Free South West.
Aliyu explained that the ICPC had intensified awareness among local councils and citizens about the implications of the Supreme Court decision. He, however, expressed concern that some states had obtained court orders restraining the commission from tracking local government funds and expenditure.
According to him, those entrusted with enforcement powers must ensure the judgment does not remain merely on paper.
“Local communities in Nigeria are in dire need of welfare, sustenance and protection from obstacles that push government resources beyond their reach,” he said. “We must fulfill our responsibilities to actualise their hopes for survival and development, which remain grim 65 years after independence.”
Aliyu stressed that the ICPC cannot fight corruption alone, noting that Nigeria’s size and systemic challenges demand collaboration from all stakeholders in the justice system.
Delivering the keynote address, former Lagos State Attorney-General, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), urged his colleagues to provide sincere legal counsel to governors, even when such advice may not align with political interests.
He emphasised that the effectiveness of the offices of Attorneys-General depends more on the integrity and courage of those who occupy them than on legal provisions.
“Do you have a governor who wants the rule of law to thrive? Do you have an attorney-general whose fidelity is to the rule of law?” he asked. “We need Attorneys-General who will tell their principals when a course of action is not lawful and that due process must be followed.”
Onigbanjo also dismissed calls for the separation of the roles of Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, arguing that such reform would only expand the cost of governance.
Instead, he called for structural improvements, capacity building and technology adoption to enhance transparency and strengthen public confidence.
The roundtable was attended by Attorneys-General from Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Ogun and Lagos States. Also in attendance were Senator Emmanuel Udende, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, and Prince Kayode M. Akiolu, Chairman of the House Committee on Anti-Corruption, among other stakeholders.
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