Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately enforce the judgment of the Supreme Court mandating direct allocation of funds to local governments from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
Atiku noted that by July next year, the Tinubu administration would have spent two full years without implementing the binding ruling of the apex court, a development he described as a serious challenge to constitutional governance and the rule of law.
According to him, the failure to act goes beyond administrative delay and amounts to open defiance of the Supreme Court. He stressed that judgments of the apex court are final and binding on all authorities, warning that persistent refusal to enforce them undermines the supremacy of the Constitution and violates the presidential oath of office.
The former vice president emphasized that local governments remain the closest tier of government to the people and are critical to grassroots development. He argued that denying them financial autonomy has weakened service delivery across communities, leaving roads dilapidated, primary healthcare centres abandoned, salaries unpaid, and development projects stalled nationwide.
Atiku further observed that although local government autonomy has been repeatedly highlighted by the administration as a key policy objective, the continued failure to enforce the Supreme Court ruling contradicts this commitment and sustains a system that impoverishes communities while concentrating power at the centre.
He maintained that enforcing the judgment does not require political confrontation or extraordinary measures, but decisive leadership rooted in respect for the law. He urged President Tinubu to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation to immediately implement the ruling, describing any further delay as a dereliction of constitutional responsibility.
Atiku warned that the ongoing inaction sends a troubling signal that political calculations are being placed above constitutional duty, party interests above economic justice, and regime survival above the welfare of Nigerians already facing severe economic hardship.
He concluded that Nigeria deserves leadership firmly anchored in the rule of law and constitutional order, cautioning that history will judge how the government responds to this defining moment.