Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a scathing accusation against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, alleging a deliberate and willful breach of the Nigerian Constitution. The core of the allegation centers on the federal government's failure to implement a landmark Supreme Court judgment granting full financial autonomy to the country's local governments.
A Defiance of the Supreme Court
In a detailed statement released on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Atiku framed the situation not as a mere administrative delay but as an act of defiance against the rule of law. He pointed out that by July 2025, the Tinubu administration would have spent two full years ignoring the apex court's directive.
The judgment specifically mandates the direct allocation of funds from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to local government councils, bypassing state government coffers. Atiku stressed that Supreme Court judgments are final and binding, and that persistently refusing to enforce one constitutes a direct violation of the Constitution and the presidential oath of office.
Political Strategy Over Constitutional Duty
Going beyond legal arguments, the former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleged a calculated political motive behind the inaction. He claimed the failure to enforce the ruling is a strategy to coerce opposition governors into defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and to tighten control over governors within the ruling party itself.
"Let us be clear: Supreme Court judgments are final, not optional. Persistently refusing to enforce one is a direct breach of the Constitution and a violation of the oath you swore to Nigerians," Atiku wrote. He accused the president of reducing constitutional obedience to a mere political bargaining tool.
Crippling Development at the Grassroots
Atiku argued that the real victims of this political impasse are ordinary Nigerians at the grassroots level. He described local governments as the tier of government closest to the people and stated that withholding their financial autonomy has crippled community development.
The consequences, according to him, are stark: poor infrastructure, abandoned health centers, and unpaid salaries for local government workers. He asserted these are not results of oversight but of deliberate policy choices that deepen poverty and stall development.
A Simple Solution and a Leadership Test
Dismissing the need for further executive orders or political drama, Atiku prescribed a straightforward solution. He called on President Tinubu to instruct the Attorney-General of the Federation to enforce the judgment immediately.
"This situation does not require threats of Executive Orders or political drama. 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 stated.
Atiku concluded with a warning that the administration's continued inaction sends a dangerous signal that political control is prioritized over constitutional duty and economic justice. He added that both Nigerians and history would ultimately judge the government's conduct on this critical issue.
This accusation comes shortly after President Tinubu's own remarks at the APC NEC meeting on December 19, 2025, where he threatened to use an executive order to grant LG autonomy if governors failed to comply. As of the time of this report, the Presidency has not issued an official response to Atiku's latest allegations.
