Atiku Pledges Direct Payment of LG Allocations, Vows to Enforce Supreme Court Ruling If Elected

Former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Atiku Abubakar, has pledged to ensure that statutory allocations meant for Nigeria’s 774 local government areas are paid directly into council accounts if he wins the presidency.

Atiku said his proposed administration would make local government financial autonomy a key component of its approach to grassroots development, arguing that councils would be better positioned to provide basic services if they had direct control over funds allocated to them.

His position was contained in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, on Tuesday.

Atiku: LG allocations should go directly to councils

The former vice-president said he would implement the Supreme Court’s July 11, 2024 judgment concerning the financial autonomy of Nigeria’s local governments.

The judgment arose from a suit filed by the Federal Government against the 36 state governors over the administration and funding of local government councils.

Atiku said that, under his administration, funds intended for local governments from the Federation Account would no longer be routed through state governments.

“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,” he said.

He argued that allowing councils to directly access their statutory allocations would strengthen their ability to execute development projects and deliver essential services to residents.

Why local government financial autonomy matters

Nigeria has 774 constitutionally recognised local government areas, making the local government system the level of government closest to most communities.

However, the question of who should control local government finances has remained a major political and constitutional issue for years.

The Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling was therefore widely viewed as a significant development in the debate over local government autonomy. The court held that funds standing to the credit of local governments should be paid directly to them rather than being controlled through state governments.

Atiku’s latest promise places that ruling at the centre of his 2027 campaign message.

He said financially independent local governments would have greater capacity to address infrastructure deficits, provide basic services and respond to challenges affecting communities.

The ADC candidate also linked stronger local councils to improved grassroots security and poverty reduction, arguing that councils with greater financial capacity could play a more effective role in addressing crime and terrorism.

Atiku accuses Tinubu administration of failing to enforce ruling

Atiku also criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration over what he described as a failure to fully enforce the Supreme Court judgment.

He alleged that the Federal Government had been reluctant to confront some state governors over the issue.

Atiku further claimed that local government finances were being used politically to secure the support of state governors ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The allegation is Atiku’s political claim and has not been established as fact by the information provided in his statement.

The former vice-president maintained that enforcing the Supreme Court decision would strengthen transparency and make it easier to determine whether funds allocated to local governments were actually being used for grassroots development.

The 2024 Supreme Court decision

The Supreme Court’s ruling followed a legal battle between the Federal Government and the 36 state governors over the financial independence of local government councils.

The Federal Government had argued that state governments should not continue to control funds constitutionally allocated to local councils.

The court’s decision was consequently seen as an important test of Nigeria’s federal structure and the constitutional position of the third tier of government.

However, the implementation of the judgment has remained a contentious issue, with questions continuing over how direct funding should operate in practice and how local government administrations should be held accountable for the money they receive.

What Atiku’s proposal could mean ahead of 2027

Atiku’s pledge puts local government autonomy among the policy issues likely to feature prominently in the 2027 presidential contest.

For voters, the key question may not only be whether local governments receive their allocations directly, but also whether direct funding translates into measurable improvements in roads, healthcare, education, sanitation, water supply and other services at the community level.

Financial autonomy could potentially give councils greater control over development priorities. At the same time, increased financial independence would make transparency, auditing and accountability at the local level even more important.

The debate is therefore likely to extend beyond the question of where local government money should be paid to how councils should spend, account for and report those funds.

What happens next?

As the 2027 election approaches, local government autonomy is expected to remain part of the wider debate over Nigeria’s federal structure and grassroots governance.

Atiku has now made a clear campaign commitment: if elected president, he says his government would enforce the Supreme Court’s position and ensure that local government allocations go directly to the councils.

The extent to which such a policy would be implemented, how it would interact with state governments and what mechanisms would be used to guarantee accountability are likely to become important issues as political parties unveil their broader 2027 policy platforms.