• The Supreme Court struck down the National Lottery Act 2005 passed by the National Assembly.
• Under the ruling, the Supreme Court verdict automatically abolished the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC).
• According to the Supreme Court, the State Assembly overstepped the bounds because legislation on lotteries and gambling remained within the legislative purview of the State House of Assembly.

The Supreme Court has issued a historic decision, striking down the National Lottery Act of 2005 enacted by the National Assembly. In a unanimous judgment, a panel of seven members of the Supreme Court ruled that the National Assembly had exceeded its limits by legislating on lotteries and games of chance. According to the court, only state houses of assembly have exclusive jurisdiction to regulate these activities.

The main judgment, delivered on Friday (November 22) by Justice Mohammed Idris, noted that the National Lottery Act, 2005 should no longer be applied in all states except the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Indeed, the National Assembly is only empowered to legislate for the FCT.

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Supreme Court judgment favors Lagos

According to The nationthe judgment is a significant victory for Lagos and other states that filed a lawsuit in 2008, challenging the National Assembly’s powers to regulate lotteries and gambling.

The National Lottery Act, 2005 was enacted to regulate lottery operations in Nigeria, but the court ruling rendered it ineffective. The law created the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) to oversee lottery operations, but its powers have now been reduced. The functions of the NLRC include issuing licenses, regulating lottery games, and ensuring transparency and accountability in the field. industry.

The implications of the Supreme Court’s judgment are far-reaching. This means that state houses of assembly will now have the power to regulate lotteries and games chance within their jurisdictions. This could lead to a more decentralized approach to regulating lotteries, with states having more control over the sector.

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LG autonomy: governors warned against Supreme Court judgment

Legitime.ng reported earlier that the 36 Nigerian governors grouped under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors Forum have been warned against undermining the Supreme Court verdict on local government autonomy.

NULGE, in a statement dated Thursday, November 7, alleges that some governors are not ready to comply with the Supreme Court judgment.

The group warned that any attempt to downplay judgment on local government autonomy would be met with strict restrictions.

Source: Legit.ng