President Bola Tinubu on Friday cautioned state governors that he could issue an Executive Order to enforce direct funding for local governments if they fail to comply with a recent Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to the third tier of government.
The President issued the warning while speaking at the 15th National Executive Committee, NEC meeting of the All Progressives Congress, APC, held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
Tinubu recalled that at the 14th National Caucus meeting of the APC on Thursday, he had stressed that local government autonomy must be backed by adequate funding to be meaningful.
Addressing NEC members, comprising governors, National Working Committee officials and other party leaders, Tinubu said, “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.”
The President continued, “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 comments came in the wake of the July 11, 2024, landmark Supreme Court judgment that upheld the Federal Government’s case on enforcing financial autonomy for local governments.
In a unanimous ruling, a seven-member panel of the apex court held that it is unconstitutional for state governments to control or withhold funds allocated to local councils.
The court directed that allocations from the Federation Account be paid directly to local governments, as stipulated in Section 162(5–8) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), a provision largely undermined by the use of joint accounts by many states.
Reiterating his position in his address, Tinubu urged governors to comply with the ruling, warning that continued violations could trigger federal action.
“The ultimate goal is our Supreme Court. We have to comply. We have to respect the judgment,” he insisted.