Atiku blasts Tinubu over ‘defiance’ of Supreme Court on local government funds

Abdullateef Fowewe

Former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar has on Wednesday accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of “defiance” against a Supreme Court ruling mandating direct funding to local governments, labeling it a deliberate political ploy to control opposition figures.

In a scathing open letter addressed to Tinubu on X, Atiku highlighted the administration’s failure to act nearly two years after the July 2024 judgment.

“Dear @officialABAT, by July next year, your administration will have spent two full years deliberately ignoring a binding judgment of the Supreme Court directing the Federal Government to implement direct FAAC allocation to local governments,” he wrote.

“This is not a delay. It is defiance.”

Atiku alleged the inaction serves as a “bargaining chip to force opposition governors into the APC and to keep governors within your party firmly under your control.”

He stressed the gravity of non-compliance, “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.”

The opposition leader argued that withholding funds cripples grassroots development.

“By withholding their financial autonomy you are not weakening governors, you are crippling communities, stalling development, and deepening poverty at the grassroots,” he stated.

Atiku urged immediate action, “Instruct the Attorney-General of the Federation to enforce the judgment immediately.”

He warned of the broader implications, “Your continued inaction sends a clear message: that political control matters more than constitutional duty. Nigeria deserves leadership that obeys the law it swore to protect, not one that bends it for political gain.”