Atiku Accuses Tinubu of Defying Supreme Court Ruling on Local Government Funds
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of deliberately ignoring a Supreme Court ruling that mandates direct allocation of funds to local governments (LGs). Atiku described the inaction as a breach of the Constitution, warning that history will judge the administration.
In a statement released on Wednesday, December 24, Atiku noted that by July 2026, the Tinubu government would have spent two years allegedly disregarding the apex court’s directive to channel allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) straight to local councils.
Addressing the president, Atiku said: “By July next year, your administration will have spent two full years deliberately ignoring a binding Supreme Court judgment directing direct FAAC allocation to local governments.”
He dismissed claims that the delay was administrative, insisting it was a calculated political move. “This is not delay. It is defiance. Your refusal to act is a deliberate political strategy—using the law to pressure opposition governors to join the APC and maintain control over your party’s governors. This reduces the Constitution to a tool for partisan interests.”
Atiku emphasized that Supreme Court rulings are final and binding, adding that failure to comply violates both the Constitution and the presidential oath. “Supreme Court judgments are not optional. Ignoring them is a direct breach of the Constitution and a violation of your oath to Nigerians.”
He argued that denying LGs financial autonomy hinders grassroots development, as councils are the closest level of government to citizens. “Withholding their autonomy does not weaken governors; it stifles communities, halts development, and deepens poverty. Roads remain in disrepair, health centers are neglected, and salaries go unpaid—not by accident, but by design.”
According to Atiku, the Supreme Court judgment could be enforced without political theatrics. “The solution is simple: instruct the Attorney-General of the Federation to implement the ruling immediately. Anything less is a failure of leadership.”
He warned that continued inaction prioritizes political control over constitutional duty and citizens’ welfare. “Your inaction signals that party dominance outweighs economic justice and that regime survival matters more than the hardships Nigerians face.”
Atiku concluded by urging the president to uphold the rule of law. “Nigeria deserves leaders who obey the law, not bend it for political gain. History and Nigerians will not forget this moment.”
The Supreme Court, in July 2024, ruled that it is unconstitutional for state governments to withhold funds meant for local councils. The judgment required that allocations be paid directly to the 774 LGs under Section 162 of the Constitution.
Despite this, reports indicate that between July 2024 and December 2025, states retained control of at least N7.43 trillion in local government funds via the State Joint Local Government Account system.
On December 19, President Tinubu warned that he might issue an executive order to enforce direct LG allocations if governors failed to comply. At the APC’s National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja, he said: “The Supreme Court has capped it for you again, saying, ‘give them their money directly.’ If you wait for my Executive Order… I will act.”
While the president maintains he is committed to LG autonomy, Atiku described executive order threats as mere political theater. “The solution is simple: enforce the judgment immediately through the Attorney-General. Anything short of that is a failure of leadership.”
