Adamawa Govt. heads to supreme court, seeks interpretation on distribution of revenue by FG

By Yagana Ali, Yola.

After the judgement passed by the supreme Court about Local government Autonomy, the Adamawa state government headed to the apex court for the interpretation of section 162 of the Constitution.

The Adamawa State government made this known in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor State, Humwashi Wonosikou and issued to newsmen in Yola.

The statement reads in part: “The Adamawa State Government is seeking the Supreme Court’s interpretation of Section 162 (1), (2) and (3) of the Constitution regarding the distribution of revenue from the Federation Account.

The Adamawa State government led by governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, however argued that: “The entire sum in the Federation Account must be distributed among all levels of government without deductions, except as permitted by law.

The communique further reads that: “The President must comply strictly with the Constitution in managing and distributing revenue.

“All revenue collected, except those exempted by the Constitution, must be paid into the Federation Account for distribution to all tiers of government.

“The Federal Government has no discretion to withhold or deduct revenue for any purpose not expressly permitted by the Constitution.

In essence, Adamawa State Government is seeking a declaration that:

The Federal Government must distribute the entire revenue from the Federation Account without deductions, except as permitted by law.

“Any deductions or withholdings made without constitutional backing are unconstitutional.

“The Federal Government’s discretion to manage revenue is limited to only what is expressly permitted by the Constitution.

“The State Government is seeking a strict interpretation of the Constitution to ensure that revenue distribution is done in a transparent and constitutional manner, without arbitrary deductions or withholdings by the Federal Government” it stated .