Atiku Slams Tinubu Over Delay in Imposing Supreme Court docket Ruling on LG {Financial} Autonomy
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has known as on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to instantly implement the Supreme Court docket judgment granting {financial} autonomy to native governments, warning that any additional delay undermines the Structure.
In a unanimous ruling delivered in July 2024, the apex courtroom declared it unconstitutional for state governments to retain or handle funds meant for native authorities areas.
The courtroom additionally dominated that using caretaker committees locations native councils beneath the management of state governments, in violation of the 1999 Structure.
Talking on the weekend in the course of the fifteenth Nationwide Government Committee (NEC) assembly of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the Presidential Villa, Abuja, President Tinubu had urged governors to adjust to the judgment, warning that failure to take action might power him to difficulty an Government Order to make sure direct allocations from the Federation Account to native governments.
Reacting through social media, Atiku accused the President of politicising the ruling and failing to take concrete steps to implement it.
“At this level, there is no such thing as a want for threats of Government Orders,” Atiku mentioned. “All of the President must do is instruct the Legal professional-Common of the Federation to implement the judgment instantly. Something wanting it is a failure of management.”
The previous vp, an African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, alleged that Tinubu’s inaction was deliberate and politically motivated.
“Your refusal to behave is a calculated political transfer—utilizing obedience to the regulation as a bargaining chip to coerce opposition governors into the APC and to maintain governors inside your social gathering firmly beneath your management,” Atiku wrote.
He additional said that such conduct reduces the Structure to a software of political comfort, stressing that Supreme Court docket judgments are remaining and never topic to negotiation.
Atiku warned that continued refusal to implement the ruling quantities to a breach of constitutional responsibility.
“Persistently refusing to implement a Supreme Court docket judgment is a direct violation of the Structure and a breach of the oath you swore to Nigerians,” he mentioned.
Concluding, the previous vp cautioned that historical past would choose the present administration harshly over the problem.
“Your continued inaction sends a transparent message that political management issues greater than constitutional accountability. Historical past won’t neglect this second, and neither will Nigerians,” he added.