The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has pledged to ensure that funds meant for Nigeria’s local governments are paid directly to the councils if elected President in 2027.
Atiku made the pledge in a statement issued on Tuesday by his spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, and shared on X.
The former Vice President said his administration would uphold the rule of law and protect the constitutional independence of all tiers of government, including local governments.
Atiku also cited the Supreme Court judgment delivered in July 2024 affirming the financial autonomy of local governments. He accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of failing to fully implement the judgment, alleging that political considerations and the interests of state governors were responsible for the delay.
He said his administration would respect court judgments, protect local government autonomy and ensure that public funds reached the people for whom they were intended.
According to him, direct funding of local governments would promote grassroots development, reduce poverty and strengthen the councils’ capacity to tackle insecurity.
“My administration will respect court judgments, protect local government autonomy, ensure that public funds reach the people for whom they are meant, and restore true federalism,” Atiku stated.
He argued that granting local governments genuine financial independence would improve their ability to deliver basic services and respond to security challenges at the grassroots.
Atiku further alleged that state governors were being allowed to retain control of local government funds as part of political arrangements ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He claimed that the Tinubu administration was reluctant to fully enforce the Supreme Court judgment because of concerns about confronting governors whose political support could be important to the President’s re-election bid.
“This is not the Nigeria we should accept,” he said.
The former Vice President’s pledge comes amid continued debate over the implementation of local government financial autonomy, with concerns persisting over the extent to which federal allocations meant for the councils are reaching them directly.
Two years after the Supreme Court ordered the direct payment of federal allocations to local government councils, implementation of the landmark financial autonomy judgment has remained stalled despite N10.48tn reportedly being allocated to the third tier of government during the period.
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