President Bola Tinubu has issued a subtle threat to state governors, emphasizing that he might resort to issuing an Executive Order to enforce direct allocations to local governments if they do not comply with a recent Supreme Court ruling that affirms financial autonomy for Nigeria’s third tier of government.
Tinubu delivered this warning during the 15th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.
At the previous day’s 14th National Caucus meeting of the APC, the President stated that local government areas would not receive autonomy without a funded mandate.
Reiterating his earlier call for compliance, Tinubu cautioned that failure to act accordingly could force him to facilitate direct allocations of local council funds from the Federation Account Allocation Committee.
Addressing NEC members, including governors, National Working Committee members, and other party leaders, Tinubu remarked, “The Supreme Court has capped it for you again, saying, ‘give them their money directly.’ If you wait for my Executive Order, because I have the knife, I have the yam, I will cut it.”
The President noted, “I’m just being very respectful and understanding with my governors. Otherwise, if you don’t start to implement it, FAAC after FAAC you will see.”
This warning follows the landmark judgment by the Supreme Court on July 11, 2024, which ruled in favor of the Federal Government’s suit to enforce financial independence for local governments.
In a unanimous decision, a seven-member panel of the apex court declared it unconstitutional for state governments to retain or manage funds intended for local councils.
The court ordered the direct payment of allocations from the Federation Account to local governments, a practice outlined in Section 162(5-8) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), but often flouted by most state governments via joint accounts.
In his address, Tinubu emphasized the importance of compliance, warning that continued violations might necessitate federal intervention.
“The ultimate goal is our Supreme Court. We have to comply. We have to respect the judgment,” he insisted.
