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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Crime & Justice

2027 politics stall LG autonomy despite Supreme Court ruling

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has not enforced financial autonomy for local government councils, two years after a Supreme Court ruling mandated direct fund allocation.
  • Sources indicate the delay stems from political considerations, with the administration hesitant to alienate state governors crucial for Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid.
  • Despite presidential warnings, including the threat of an executive order, local governments continue to receive allocations through state governments, stalling the implementation of the landmark judgment.

Nigeria's local government councils are still awaiting financial autonomy, two years after the Supreme Court mandated direct fund allocation. President Bola Tinubu's administration has stalled implementation, reportedly due to political calculations surrounding the 2027 general elections.

The Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgment on July 11, 2024, granting full financial and administrative autonomy to all 774 local government areas (LGAs). The court ruled that state governors illegally withheld federal allocations meant for local councils, often channeling them through State Joint Local Government Accounts after making deductions. Justice Emmanuel Agim emphasized that LGAs should receive funds directly from the Federation Account, deeming governors' actions unconstitutional.

it was unconstitutional for state governors to withhold funds meant for local councils.

— Justice Emmanuel AgimDelivering the lead judgment on the Supreme Court's directive for local government financial autonomy.

Despite repeated warnings from President Tinubu, including a threat in December 2025 to issue an Executive Order if governors failed to comply, the situation remains unchanged. A senior presidency official, speaking anonymously, admitted the issue had become politically sensitive. The administration is reportedly wary of straining relationships with state governors, many of whom are vital to Tinubu's re-election prospects. This political calculus appears to be overriding the enforcement of the Supreme Court's directive, leaving local governments dependent on state authorities for their finances.

the issue had become politically delicate as attention had gradually shifted to the next general elections.

— Senior Presidency officialExplaining the political reasons behind the stalled implementation of local government financial autonomy.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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