President Bola Tinubu on Friday cautioned state governors that he may be compelled to issue an Executive Order to enforce direct allocations to local governments if they fail to adhere to a recent Supreme Court ruling affirming financial independence for Nigeria’s third tier of government.
The warning came during the 15th National Executive Committee meeting of the All Progressives Congress held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
At the 14th National Caucus meeting of the APC on Thursday, Tinubu had stressed that local government autonomy would not be realized without a funded mandate.
Reiterating his position on Friday, the President said non-compliance could lead him to directly allocate local council funds from the Federation Account Allocation Committee.
Addressing NEC members, including governors, National Working Committee officials, and other party leaders, Tinubu stated, “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.”
He added, “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.”
Tinubu’s remarks followed the landmark July 11, 2024, Supreme Court ruling, which unanimously affirmed the Federal Government’s suit to enforce financial independence for local governments.
The seven-member panel of the apex court declared it unconstitutional for state governments to retain or manage funds intended for local councils.
The ruling mandates direct payment of allocations from the Federation Account to local governments, a practice enshrined in Section 162(5-8) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) but often circumvented by states through joint accounts.
“The ultimate goal is our Supreme Court. We have to comply. We have to respect the judgment,” Tinubu emphasized, urging governors to ensure adherence and avoid federal intervention.
