Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election, has promised to implement the Supreme Court ruling granting financial autonomy to Nigeria’s 774 local government areas if he becomes president.

Atiku said his government would ensure that money meant for local governments from the Federation Account was paid directly to the councils instead of passing through state governments.

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

The Supreme Court ruled on July 11, 2024, that funds meant for local government councils should be paid directly to them. The decision followed a case brought by the Federal Government against the 36 state governors over the control and funding of local governments.

However, some states have not fully implemented the judgment.

Atiku said he would ensure that the ruling was strictly followed and make local government autonomy a major part of his administration’s efforts to improve development at the grassroots.

“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 said direct access to funds would give local governments more capacity to provide basic services and carry out development projects.

According to him, stronger local governments could also improve security at the grassroots by helping to tackle crime and terrorism while reducing poverty.

Atiku also accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of failing to enforce the Supreme Court ruling.

He claimed that the government had avoided confronting some state governors over the issue because local government funds were allegedly being used as an enticement to secure their support for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

“Atiku acknowledges that the Supreme Court had ruled on July 2024 that local government funds should be paid directly to local governments,” the statement said.

“Yet, the current administration of President Tinubu has failed to enforce this judgment, 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.”

Atiku said giving local governments control of their statutory allocations would improve accountability and ensure that money meant for grassroots development was used for its intended purpose.