Tinubu tells governors to obey Supreme Court on local government allocations
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed Nigeria’s 36 state governors to obey a recent Supreme Court judgment by handing over financial allocations directly to local government councils, stressing that local government autonomy must include access to funds to be meaningful. The President delivered the message during a National Caucus meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, calling on governors to fully implement the apex court’s directive on fiscal autonomy for local governments. The Supreme Court had previously ruled that allocations due to local councils should be paid directly into council accounts rather than passing through state government accounts, a judgment intended to strengthen grassroots governance and financial independence for the third tier of government. President Tinubu emphasised that genuine autonomy for local governments cannot exist without a funded mandate, urging governors to take practical steps to comply with both the spirit and letter of the court’s ruling and to ensure that allocations reach councils without delay. He also encouraged governors to demonstrate flexibility and leadership down to the grassroots level to promote good governance. In the same address, the President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to broader reforms, including the establishment of a state police system to enhance security, and called on party leaders to work together to position Nigeria and the APC for success in implementing national policies. The call comes amid ongoing debates over the practical implementation of local government autonomy and the balance of power between federal, state and local authorities across the country
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