Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has promised to end state control over local government funds if elected President in the 2027 general election.
Atiku said his administration would ensure that funds allocated to Nigeria’s 774 local government areas are paid directly to the councils immediately after he assumes office.
The former Vice President made the pledge in a statement issued on Tuesday by his spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, as part of his broader campaign for greater federalism and local government autonomy.
Atiku: Local Governments Must Control Their Own Funds
Atiku argued that Nigeria cannot operate as a true federation if local governments remain financially dependent on state governments.
He said the three tiers of government must be allowed to exercise the autonomy guaranteed to them by the Constitution.
The ADC candidate also referenced the July 2024 Supreme Court judgment on local government financial autonomy, insisting that the ruling should be fully implemented.
According to him, his administration would respect court judgments and prevent political considerations from determining how public funds are distributed.
“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 said giving local governments direct access to their statutory allocations would strengthen development at the grassroots and improve their capacity to tackle poverty and insecurity.
Attack on Tinubu Administration
The former Vice President accused the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration of failing to fully enforce the Supreme Court’s decision on local government financial autonomy.
He alleged that the Federal Government had been reluctant to confront state governors who previously exercised control over local government resources.
Atiku further suggested that political considerations could be influencing the continued control of council funds, particularly with the 2027 presidential election approaching.
He insisted that public resources should be administered according to the law rather than political interests.
Atiku’s Leadership Criticism of Tinubu
The latest promise comes amid Atiku’s increasingly intense criticism of President Tinubu.
Atiku recently condemned Tinubu’s decision to travel to Europe for a three-week working vacation while Nigeria continues to face economic hardship and insecurity.
Although Atiku acknowledged that the country was not experiencing a constitutional vacuum, he described the President’s absence as a “disturbing vacuum of political leadership.”
He questioned the timing of the trip, pointing to high living costs, expensive transportation, food insecurity, petrol prices and persistent insecurity.
Atiku also expressed concern that Vice President Kashim Shettima was outside the country on official duty when Tinubu departed Nigeria.
He argued that leadership requires more than the constitutional right to occupy an office and that a president should recognise when circumstances demand his physical presence.
Tinubu’s Camp Defends the Vacation
The Presidency has rejected criticism of Tinubu’s trip.
Presidential spokesman Sunday Dare defended the President’s decision, describing the break as necessary for him to “refuel” after months of intensive work.
Dare said Tinubu had spent the previous six to seven months heavily engaged with issues involving the economy, security and other matters of state.
According to him, the three-week trip forms part of the President’s annual working leave.
Atiku Positions Himself for 2027
Atiku has increasingly presented himself as an alternative to the Tinubu administration as the 2027 election approaches.
Beyond the question of local government autonomy, his campaign has focused on economic hardship, insecurity, fuel prices, transport costs and governance.
He has promised that his administration would make life more affordable for Nigerians, contrasting his proposed policies with what he describes as the failures of the current government.
His latest pledge to release local government allocations directly therefore places federalism, grassroots development and financial autonomy at the centre of his emerging 2027 campaign message.
