President Bola Tinubu has directed the governors of the 36 states to ensure that allocations meant for local governments are released directly to the councils, in line with the recent Supreme Court ruling. He stressed that genuine local government autonomy cannot exist without proper funding, adding that councils must receive their statutory allocations without interference.

The President made this known while addressing the 14th National Caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja. He disclosed that he had given assurances to officials of the United States and the European Union that Nigeria would adopt state policing as a strategy to confront the country’s security challenges. According to him, state police would significantly strengthen internal security, and he expressed confidence that the APC would support the necessary legislative process to make it a reality.

Tinubu urged governors and party leaders to embrace tolerance, flexibility and reconciliation in their leadership approach, stressing the need for greater involvement in grassroots governance, including rural communities. He said party leaders must take responsibility for developments in their states down to the local government level, noting that unity and accommodation within the party were essential for success.

Referencing the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy, the President emphasized that compliance was non-negotiable, insisting that councils must be empowered financially to function effectively. He reiterated that local governments would henceforth receive their funds directly, describing this as full obedience to the court’s decision and a necessary step toward strengthening governance.

The President also expressed sympathy to the Bayelsa State Government over the death of the state’s deputy governor, offering prayers for the repose of his soul. In addition, he called for greater female representation within the party caucus and urged leaders to make deliberate efforts to accommodate more women.

Earlier, the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, praised what he described as growing nationwide acceptance of the party. He pointed to recent high-profile defections, the rollout of an electronic membership registration system, and plans for a new national secretariat in Abuja as evidence of the party’s expansion. He noted that the meeting was his first national caucus engagement since assuming office in July.

Yilwatda thanked President Tinubu for his support and appealed to party stakeholders to back the APC’s growth strategy ahead of upcoming congresses and the national convention scheduled for March 2026. He said the leadership was strengthening party structures across the country through a membership drive, while attributing improved unity and public trust in the APC to Tinubu’s leadership.

He further stated that recent political developments had reinforced the APC’s national outlook, citing defections from opposition parties and claiming that the party now commands a strong majority in both chambers of the National Assembly. He also announced the launch of the electronic membership registration platform, describing it as a major organisational achievement that would enhance transparency, credibility and internal democracy.

The APC National Caucus meeting, which brings together the party’s top leadership to deliberate on strategic and organisational matters, was attended by key stakeholders, including recently defected governors originally elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party. Among them were Governors Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers, Peter Mbah of Enugu, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Douye Diri of Bayelsa, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom and Agbu Kefas of Taraba.

Also present were Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, both of whom emphasized the need for unity, cooperation and equal opportunities for all party members. Akpabio specifically noted that governors, as leaders of the party in their respective states, deserved due recognition and respect.