By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. | adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com
Editor, DDNews |
Abuja, Nigeria – September 1, 2026
DDNewsOnline
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has pledged to immediately direct local government funds to councils across Nigeria from his first day in office if elected president in 2027.
Kenneth Okonkwo, Atiku’s official spokesperson, said the former vice president would treat the issue as a matter of legal obligation and not political choice.
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Okonkwo made this known in a statement issued via his X handle @realkenokonkwo on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.
At the centre of the pledge is a July 2024 Supreme Court ruling that ordered local government funds to be paid directly to the third tier of government, bypassing state governors.
Atiku’s camp says President Bola Tinubu has refused to give effect to that judgment, accusing the administration of using local government allocations to reward APC state governors ahead of the 2027 election cycle.
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Okonkwo described the failure to enforce the ruling as a deliberate political calculation. He said governors who previously controlled those funds were being left undisturbed in exchange for political support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
What Atiku Promises
Atiku said his administration would take a different approach, grounding governance firmly in constitutional order and respect for court decisions.
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“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.
“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,” Atiku said in the statement.
The ADC presidential candidate argued that giving councils direct access to their constitutionally allocated funds would strengthen local capacity to fight insecurity and reduce poverty in communities where government services are most needed.
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Background on LG Funds
Councillors in some states have continued to accuse their state governments of withholding local government allocations, leaving communities underfunded and frustrated.
The Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to local governments has raised more consciousness about the constitutional duties of councils and their role under the Nigerian constitution.
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Atiku’s pledge comes as the debate over the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling on local government financial autonomy continues to dominate political discussions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. (Beedee)
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