Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of deliberately defying a binding judgment of the Supreme Court directing the Federal Government to implement direct allocation of funds to local governments from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
Atiku’s accusation was contained in a strongly worded statement on Wednesday.
The supreme court had ruled in July 2024 that allocations from the federation account be paid directly to the 774 local government councils rather than through state governments.
Atiku said that by July next year, the Tinubu administration would have spent two full years failing to comply with the apex court’s ruling.
He described the continued inaction as “not delay” but “defiance.”
“This is not delay. It is defiance,” Atiku said. “Your refusal to act is a calculated political move, using obedience to the law as a bargaining chip to force opposition governors into the APC and to keep governors within your party firmly under your control.”
Atiku stressed that Supreme Court judgments are final and binding, warning that persistent refusal to enforce such rulings amounts to a breach of the Constitution and a violation of the presidential oath of office.
“Supreme Court judgments are final, not optional,” he said. “Persistently refusing to enforce one is a direct breach of the Constitution and a violation of the oath you swore to Nigerians.”
He accused the Federal Government of reducing constitutional governance to partisan bargaining, adding that the Constitution should not be treated as a “tool of convenience.”
The former vice president argued that local governments, as the closest tier of government to the people, are being crippled by the continued denial of financial autonomy.
“By withholding their financial autonomy, which ironically you have been trumpeting as a core cardinal policy, you are not weakening governors, you are crippling communities, stalling development, and deepening poverty at the grassroots,” he said.
According to Atiku, the consequences of the Federal Government’s inaction are evident across the country.
“Roads remain broken, health centres abandoned, salaries unpaid, not by accident, but by choice,” he added.
Atiku dismissed suggestions of executive orders or political brinkmanship, insisting that the solution lies in immediate enforcement of the court ruling.
“This situation does not require threats of Executive Orders or political drama,” he said. “The solution is simple: instruct the Attorney-General of the Federation to enforce the judgment immediately. Anything short of this is a failure of leadership.”
He warned that the continued refusal to act sends a troubling signal to Nigerians.
He warned that the continued refusal to act sends a troubling signal to Nigerians.
“Your continued inaction sends a clear message: that political control matters more than constitutional duty, that party dominance matters more than economic justice, and that regime survival outweighs the daily suffering of Nigerians already battered by harsh economic policies,” Atiku stated.
Concluding his statement, the former vice president said Nigeria deserves leadership anchored on respect for the rule of law.
“Nigeria deserves leadership that obeys the law it swore to protect, not one that bends it for political gain,” he said, adding, “History will not forget this moment. Nigerians will not either.”