By Erewunmi Peace

President Bola
Ahmed Tinubu has urged state governors across Nigeria to comply fully with the Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to local government councils, stressing that the ruling must be respected in the interest of grassroots development.

The President made this call while addressing leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), where he emphasized that local government autonomy is meaningless if councils do not have direct access to their statutory allocations.
According to Tinubu, the Supreme Court’s verdict was clear and must be implemented without delay, adding that continued control of local government funds by state governments undermines governance at the grassroots level.

“Local governments cannot function effectively if they are denied direct access to their funds,” the President reportedly stated, urging governors to act in line with the law.

The Supreme Court ruling, delivered in 2024, declared the state–local government joint account system unconstitutional, ordering that federal allocations be paid directly to local government councils. The judgment was seen as a major step toward strengthening local governance and accountability.

Despite the ruling, implementation has been slow in several states, raising concerns among civil society groups and local government officials. Tinubu’s intervention is viewed as a renewed push to enforce compliance nationwide.

The President also linked the issue of local government autonomy to broader governance reforms, noting that strong and independent local councils are essential for national development and improved service delivery.