President Bola Tinubu has directed the 36 state governors to immediately remit local government allocations directly to the councils, in strict compliance with the recent Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy.
The President made the call on Thursday while addressing the 14th All Progressives Congress (APC) National Caucus meeting at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja. He stressed that genuine local government autonomy is impossible without guaranteed funding.
“There is no autonomy without a funded mandate,” Tinubu said. “We will give them their money directly. That is the truth. That is compliance with the Supreme Court. Take leadership seriously.”
Tinubu urged governors and party leaders to show flexibility, tolerance and active engagement in governance, particularly at the grassroots level. He encouraged them to remain closely involved in developments within their states, down to the rural communities and local governments.
The President also revealed that he had assured leaders of the United States and the European Union that Nigeria would establish state police as part of efforts to address the country’s security challenges.
“I had a very long discussion with the US and European heads. I told them clearly that we will pass state police to improve security,” he said. “They asked if I was confident, and I said yes, because I have a party to depend on.”
Calling for unity within the ruling party, Tinubu said reconciliation, accommodation and flexibility among leaders were crucial to sustaining APC’s dominance and effective governance.
He also urged party leaders to reflect on the implications of the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy and how best to position both the country and the party going forward.
During the meeting, the President commiserated with the government and people of Bayelsa State over the death of the deputy governor and prayed for the repose of his soul. He further called for increased inclusion of women in the party’s caucus, urging deliberate provisions to enhance their participation.
Earlier, APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, described the caucus meeting as his first since assuming office in July. He praised President Tinubu’s leadership and pointed to what he called a surge in the party’s national acceptance, citing recent high-profile defections, the launch of an electronic membership registration system and plans for a new national secretariat in Abuja.
Yilwatda said the party was consolidating its structures nationwide ahead of forthcoming congresses and the national convention scheduled for March 2026, adding that the APC now enjoys an overwhelming majority in both chambers of the National Assembly.
The caucus meeting was attended by key party leaders, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, both of whom emphasized unity and equal opportunity within the party. Several governors who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC were also present.