Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice-President of Nigeria and a candidate for the 2027 presidential election, has promised to ensure that money meant for local governments goes directly to them if he becomes president. He plans to follow a Supreme Court ruling from July 2024 that states funding for the 774 local government areas should not be managed by state governments but sent straight to the local councils. Atiku's spokesperson said that he would respect the law and strengthen the independence of local governments, allowing them to handle their funds directly. This change is aimed at improving local development and governance, making it easier for these councils to provide services and tackle issues like security and poverty. He criticized the current president, Bola Tinubu, for not enforcing this Supreme Court decision and suggested that the government is holding onto these funds to gain support from state governors for the upcoming election. Atiku believes that giving local governments access to their funds will lead to better accountability and more effective use of resources for community development.
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