President Bola Tinubu has taken a firm position on the enforcement of local government autonomy, directing that funds meant for councils should be released to them directly.

This move signals a renewed push to strengthen grassroots governance and comply fully with recent judicial rulings.

The President made his position clear during a meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.

He addressed APC governors and urged them to stop interfering with local government finances.

Tinubu stressed that the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy must not remain a mere policy statement.

He said implementation must be real, practical, and effective across the country.

According to Tinubu: “Let us equally look at the recent Supreme Court judgement. What can we do with it, and how well we can position our country and our party?

“To me, the local government autonomy is and must be effective. Let us give them. There is no autonomy without a funded mandate.

“We give them their money directly. That’s the truth. That’s compliance with the supreme court.”

The President explained that without direct funding, autonomy would be meaningless. He noted that local governments cannot function or deliver development at the grassroots if their resources are controlled by state authorities.

He also called on governors to play more active and flexible leadership roles in their states.

Tinubu urged them to stay involved in governance matters down to the local government level.

“You have to navigate this country; whether we like it or not, you are in the leadership position that must yield and continue to promote, tolerate and be flexible and get involved in whatever is happening in your various states, up to the local government level,” Tinubu said.

Recall that the Supreme Court ruling that barred state governments from controlling local government funds through joint accounts, a decision widely seen as a turning point for grassroots administration in Nigeria.