President Bola Tinubu has thre.atened state Governors that he may issue an Executive Order to ensure direct allocations to local governments if they fail to comply with a Supreme Court ruling affirming financial autonomy for Nigeria’s third tier of government
The warning came on Friday during the 15th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.
In a pointed statement regarding governors withholding statutory allocations meant for local councils, Tinubu indicated that non-compliance could lead to the federal government directly disbursing funds from the Federation Account Allocation Committee.
“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,” he told NEC members, which included governors, National Working Committee officials, and other party leaders.
Tinubu added, “I’m just being very respectful and understanding with my governors. Otherwise, if you don’t start to implement it, fact after fact, you will see.”
His remarks follow the landmark July 11, 2024 Supreme Court ruling, which upheld the Federal Government’s suit enforcing financial independence for local governments.
Reiterating the need for compliance, Tinubu stressed that continued violations could prompt federal intervention. “The ultimate goal is our Supreme Court. We have to comply. We have to respect the judgment,” he said.
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