President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has warned state governors that his administration may resort to issuing an executive order and enforcing direct deductions from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court ruling granting financial autonomy to local governments.
The President issued the warning on Friday while addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the party’s 15th NEC meeting held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
Speaking before governors, members of the APC National Working Committee, and other party leaders, Tinubu stressed that the apex court had once again affirmed the constitutional provision mandating direct allocation of funds to local government councils.
“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 said, warning that failure to comply would attract decisive action through FAAC deductions.
He added that while he had exercised patience and respect toward the governors, such restraint would not last indefinitely. “If you don’t start to implement it, FAC after FAC, you will see,” he cautioned.
It would be recalled that on July 11, 2024, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Federal Government in a suit seeking to enforce financial independence for local governments. The court ordered that allocations from the Federation Account be paid directly to local councils, in line with Sections 162(5–8) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), declaring it unconstitutional for state governments to retain or manage local government funds through joint accounts.
Reaffirming his stance, Tinubu said, “The ultimate goal is our Supreme Court. We have to comply. We have to respect the judgment.”
The President also commended the APC for its dominance in the political landscape, describing it as the largest and most formidable political party in the country. However, he urged party leaders to strengthen structures at the grassroots, noting that weak local government administration undermines governance.
“We can easily rely on the state governors. But what about the states where we have no governors?” he asked, stressing the need for strong party presence at ward and local government levels.
Reflecting on the challenges leading up to the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu recounted the impact of the naira redesign policy and fuel scarcity, which he described as a “wild bush fire” that caused severe hardship for Nigerians during the election period.
He expressed gratitude to God for the APC’s electoral victories in 28 states across the federation.
On security reforms, the President urged the National Assembly to summon the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to deliberate on constitutional pathways for the establishment of state police. “We are going for state police,” Tinubu declared, emphasizing the need to prevent abuse while enhancing security.
He further reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to combating insecurity, pledging to sanitize Nigeria’s forests through the deployment of forest rangers. “We will defeat those terrorists and bandits. We must,” he said.
On gender inclusion, President Tinubu endorsed ongoing constitutional amendment bills aimed at increasing women’s representation. However, he opposed federal control of lotteries, describing it as a residual matter constitutionally reserved for states.
The President’s remarks underscore his administration’s resolve to enforce constitutional provisions, strengthen grassroots governance, and pursue wide-ranging reforms in security, inclusion, and federal-state relations.
