Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has faulted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over what he described as the Federal Government’s continued refusal to carry out a Supreme Court ruling mandating direct disbursement of funds to Nigeria’s local governments.
Atiku said the failure to implement the judgment amounts to a serious violation of the Constitution and warned that the President’s actions would be judged harshly by history.
In a statement released on Wednesday, December 24, the former vice-president noted that by July 2026, the Tinubu administration would have spent nearly two years allegedly disregarding the apex court’s decision, which directed that allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) be paid straight to the 774 local councils.
According to Atiku, the prolonged delay cannot be excused as an administrative challenge. Instead, he argued that it reflects a deliberate and politically driven choice by the Federal Government.
He accused the President of using compliance with the law as leverage to pressure opposition governors into joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and to maintain tight control over governors within the party. In his view, this approach reduces constitutional governance to partisan negotiation.
Atiku stressed that rulings of the Supreme Court are final and must be obeyed, warning that persistent refusal to enforce them undermines the Constitution and violates the presidential oath of office.
He further lamented the impact of the policy on grassroots development, pointing out that local governments are the tier of government closest to the people and are critical to delivering basic services.
By denying councils financial independence, Atiku said communities are being short-changed, leading to stalled development projects, abandoned healthcare facilities, unpaid salaries, and worsening poverty at the local level.
He maintained that enforcing the judgment requires no political theatrics, executive threats, or dramatic gestures, but rather clear and decisive action from the executive arm.
According to him, the President only needs to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation to ensure immediate compliance with the Supreme Court ruling, warning that anything less reflects a lack of leadership.
Atiku added that the Federal Government’s continued inaction sends a troubling signal that political dominance is being prioritised over constitutional responsibility and economic fairness, especially at a time when Nigerians are grappling with severe economic hardship.
He concluded by calling on the President to uphold the rule of law, stating that Nigerians will not forget the moment and that history will ultimately hold the administration accountable.
The Supreme Court, in a landmark judgment delivered in July 2024, ruled that state governments have no constitutional authority to withhold or manage funds allocated to local councils. The court ordered that allocations be paid directly to local governments, citing Section 162 of the Constitution.
Despite the ruling, reports indicate that between July 2024 and December 2025, state governments retained control of an estimated ₦7.43 trillion meant for local councils through the State Joint Local Government Account system.
On December 19, President Tinubu warned that he might resort to issuing an executive order if governors fail to comply with the Supreme Court’s decision on local government financial autonomy.
Speaking at the APC National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja, the President said the Supreme Court had made its position clear and cautioned that if compliance continued to lag, the Federal Government would enforce the ruling through FAAC.
While the President insists he remains committed to local government autonomy, Atiku dismissed the threat of an executive order as unnecessary political posturing, reiterating that immediate enforcement of the judgment remains the only credible solution.
