Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of deliberately withholding local government funds to consolidate political power, describing the continued failure to implement a Supreme Court judgment as a direct assault on Nigeria’s constitutional order.
In a statement published on his verified X account on December 24, 2025, Atiku alleged that the Federal Government’s refusal to enforce direct FAAC allocations to local governments was neither procedural nor accidental.
Rather, he argued that the delay was a calculated political strategy aimed at pressuring opposition governors to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress while keeping governors within the party under strict control.
According to Atiku, by July next year, the Tinubu administration would have spent two full years ignoring a binding ruling of the Supreme Court mandating financial autonomy for local governments.
He stressed that such conduct amounts to defiance, not delay, noting that judgments of the apex court are final and compulsory under the Constitution.
“Persistently refusing to enforce a Supreme Court judgment is a direct breach of the Constitution and a violation of the oath of office sworn to Nigerians,” Atiku said.
Furthermore, the former presidential candidate warned that the political consequences of the inaction extend beyond party maneuvering, with severe implications for grassroots governance.
He explained that local governments, as the tier of government closest to the people, have been left financially incapacitated, undermining service delivery and worsening living conditions across rural communities.
He said stalled development projects, unpaid salaries, abandoned health centres, and deteriorating local roads were not coincidental outcomes but the predictable result of denying councils access to their statutory allocations.
Moreover, Atiku rejected arguments that resolving the issue would require executive orders or political confrontation.
He maintained that the solution was straightforward and constitutionally defined, urging President Tinubu to instruct the Attorney-General of the Federation to immediately enforce the Supreme Court ruling.
“This situation does not require political drama. Anything short of enforcing the judgment is a failure of leadership,” he said.
Atiku also cautioned that continued inaction sends a troubling signal that political dominance outweighs constitutional responsibility and economic justice, particularly at a time when Nigerians are grappling with rising hardship linked to broader economic reforms.
“Nigeria deserves leadership that obeys the law it swore to protect, not one that bends it for political gain,” he added, warning that both history and the electorate would remember the episode.
As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency had not issued an official response to Atiku’s allegations.