2027 Election Debate: Atiku Pledges to Enforce Supreme Court Ruling on Local Government Autonomy

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, has strengthened his campaign by pledging to implement the Supreme Court judgment requiring funds meant for local government areas (LGAs) to be paid directly to them if elected president.

The former vice president pledged in a statement issued on Tuesday by his official spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, describing it as a key part of his plan to obey the apex court, uphold the rule of law, and strengthen local government autonomy if elected in the coming poll.

On July 11, 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that, from the date of its judgment, the federal government should begin paying allocations directly to local governments from the Federation Account. In the suit, a seven-member panel of justices held that state governments had continued to abuse their powers by withholding and using funds meant for LGAs.

The apex court also ordered the federal government to withhold allocations to LGAs governed by unelected officials appointed by the governor.

The apex court further granted the prayers of the federal government, which filed a suit hinged on 27 grounds at the supreme court against governors of the 36 states, requesting authorisation of direct transfer of funds from the federation account to local governments in accordance with the constitution, noting that states are mandated to ensure that their local government councils are democratically elected and that governors cannot use their powers to dissolve democratically elected local government councils.

Despite the ruling, multiple media reports indicate that the majority of local government councils across the country continue to receive monthly allocations from state governments rather than directly from the Federation Account, two years after the Supreme Court’s directive.

Atiku criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for failing to enforce this judgement, noting that the president does not want to confront the APC state governors who previously controlled these funds.

As a result, the ADC presidential candidate maintained that he would implement the court’s judgement and give local governments the autonomy they deserve under the law.

“Atiku acknowledges that the Supreme Court had ruled in July 2024 that local government funds should be paid directly to local governments. Yet, the current administration of President Tinubu has failed to enforce this judgement, seemingly to avoid confronting the gluttonous APC State Governors who previously controlled these funds, as an enticement to them to use the Local Government funds to buy votes for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. This is not the Nigeria we should accept,” the statement noted.

“My administration will respect court judgements, protect local government autonomy, ensure that public funds reach the people for whom they are meant, and restore true federalism. This move will ensure that development is brought to the grassroots, reduce poverty at the level of government nearest to the people, and guarantee financial independence to the local governments, which will increase their capacity to fight crimes and terrorism at that level.”

The Atiku campaign has sharply criticised the policies, programmes, and activities of the Tinubu administration, fuelling a debate over ideas. It recently pledged to restore fuel subsidy in a new format and to review the NELFUND loan scheme for students in tertiary institutions.

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