Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of deliberately refusing to implement a Supreme Court judgment that mandates direct allocation of funds to local governments across Nigeria.
In a personally signed statement released on Wednesday, Atiku claimed that Tinubu’s administration has spent nearly two years ignoring the binding judicial directive, which he described as an act of constitutional defiance rather than mere delay. The former vice president alleged that the president’s inaction represents a calculated political strategy designed to force opposition governors into joining the ruling All Progressives Congress while maintaining tight control over those already within the party.
Atiku characterized Tinubu’s approach as reducing the Nigerian Constitution to a tool of political convenience, arguing that Supreme Court judgments are final and not subject to selective enforcement. He emphasized that persistently refusing to implement such judgments constitutes a direct breach of the Constitution and a violation of the presidential oath of office.
The opposition leader stressed that local governments serve as the arm of government closest to ordinary Nigerians, and by withholding their financial autonomy, the president is not merely undermining state governors but actively crippling communities and deepening grassroots poverty. He pointed to deteriorating infrastructure, abandoned health centers, and unpaid salaries as direct consequences of this policy decision.
Atiku warned that history and the Nigerian people would remember Tinubu’s role in transforming a Supreme Court judgment into an instrument of political bargaining. He argued that the solution requires no elaborate measures, only a simple instruction to the Attorney-General of the Federation to enforce the judgment immediately.
The former vice president concluded that Tinubu’s continued inaction sends a troubling message about his administration’s priorities, suggesting that political control and party dominance take precedence over constitutional duty and economic justice. He called for leadership that respects the rule of law rather than manipulating it for political advantage, particularly at a time when Nigerians are already struggling under harsh economic policies.
