Central Gaming Bill: Lagos accuses NASS of violating S-Court judgment

By Henry Ojelu & Deborah Oladeji

The Lagos State Government has warned the National Assembly against proceeding with the projected Central Gaming Bill, describing it arsenic a nonstop usurpation of the Nigerian Constitution and a subsisting judgement of the Supreme Court.

Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, gave the informing astatine a property briefing successful Lagos, saying the Bill, present earlier the Senate aft transition by the House of Representatives, amounts to legislative overreach and a imaginable trigger for law crisis.

Pedro explained that the Bill, which seeks to modulate each forms of online and distant gaming crossed the country, straight contradicts a Supreme Court judgement delivered connected October 13, 2024, successful a suit filed by Lagos State and 22 different states against the Attorney-General of the Federation.

According to him, the apex tribunal had ruled unequivocally that gaming, lotteries and betting are residual matters wrong the exclusive jurisdiction of authorities governments, but successful the Federal Capital Territory.

“The Supreme Court, our apex court, has declared that the powerfulness to modulate gaming, betting and lotteries belongs solely to the states. The National Assembly lacks the competence to legislate connected these matters for the full country,” Pedro stated.

He added that the tribunal besides granted a perpetual injunction restraining the Federal Government and its agencies from enforcing the National Lottery Act oregon immoderate akin authorities wrong the territory of immoderate state.

Pedro warned that the projected Bill, if passed, would not lone defy this ruling but besides undermine the instauration of Nigeria’s national structure.

“Any effort to legislate again connected the aforesaid taxable amounts to defiance of the Supreme Court, a usurpation of the Constitution and an invitation to law chaos,” helium said.

The Attorney-General besides faulted claims by immoderate lawmakers that online oregon distant gaming falls nether national jurisdiction due to the fact that of its cross-border nature.

He said: “Online does not mean federal. If online enactment automatically becomes federal, past the United Nations should modulate it globally. The usage of exertion does not change the ineligible quality of gaming, which remains a authorities substance whether done physically oregon virtually.”

Pedro further cautioned that the projected Central Gaming Bill could unfastened the floodgates of gambling activities adjacent successful states wherever taste oregon spiritual values prohibit specified practices.

“If the Bill becomes law, it volition let operators to acceptable up gaming businesses crossed each states, including those wherever gambling is forbidden by religion oregon tradition. This could make societal hostility and conflict,” helium warned.

He described the National Assembly’s determination arsenic inconsistent with its existent nationwide consultation efforts aimed astatine devolving much powers to subnational governments.

“It volition beryllium a contradiction of tone and intent for the aforesaid National Assembly that is canvassing devolution of powers to present effort to reclaim powers already affirmed by the Supreme Court to beryllium to the states,” helium said.

Pedro reaffirmed Lagos State’s commitment, alongside 22 different states, to defy immoderate legislative oregon enforcement enactment that undermines the integrity of the Supreme Court and the autonomy of authorities governments.

“This is not astir Lagos State alone,” helium said. “It is astir Nigeria, astir protecting the integrity of the Supreme Court and preserving the national operation arsenic guaranteed by the Constitution.”

He urged the National Assembly to retreat the projected Central Gaming Bill successful the involvement of law bid and nationalist stability.

“The regularisation of instrumentality is the psyche of democracy.Our ideology volition stay beardown lone if we respect the Constitution and the finality of Supreme Court decisions,” Pedro concluded.

The station Central Gaming Bill: Lagos accuses NASS of violating S-Court judgment appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.