“Lagos Moves Supreme Court to Hold National Assembly in Contempt Over Lottery Law Breach”
Story: Written Joseph November 11,2025
The Lagos State government has petitioned the Supreme Court, seeking permission to initiate contempt proceedings against the National Assembly for allegedly defying a prior ruling that declared federal legislation on lottery and gaming unconstitutional.
Filed by the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the motion requests leave to begin judgment-enforcement action through Form 48, a legal notice that warns a person or institution acting against a court order. Noncompliance could result in imprisonment.
Lagos’ legal team, led by Bode Olanipekun (SAN), argued that the National Assembly’s ongoing work on the proposed Central Gaming Bill violates the Supreme Court’s November 22, 2024, judgment in SC.1/2008: Attorney-General of Lagos State & Ors. v. Attorney-General of the Federation & Ors.
The state highlighted that several clauses in the new bill, particularly Clauses 7 and 21–64, concern lottery and gaming—matters previously ruled outside federal legislative powers. These provisions mirror the now-nullified National Lottery Act, defining “lottery” and “online gaming” in similar terms and requiring licenses to operate.
Clause 62 of the proposed law, which aims to preserve actions taken under the voided legislation, was also cited as a deliberate attempt to undermine the Supreme Court’s authority. Lagos stressed that since the 2024 ruling, no constitutional amendment has expanded the National Assembly’s powers to include lottery or gaming, reinforcing that such regulation remains within state jurisdiction.
By returning to the Supreme Court, Lagos aims to enforce the 2024 ruling through contempt proceedings, a move that could reinforce the supremacy of judicial authority and clarify the limits of federal legislative power in Nigeria.
