President Bola Tinubu has warned state governors that he will slash their federal allocations if they continue to resist implementing a Supreme Court order granting financial independence to local governments, stressing the need for compliance to foster grassroots development.
The ultimatum was delivered during a late-night address on Friday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) national executive committee meeting in Abuja, where Tinubu underscored his administration’s commitment to enforcing the judicial decision amid ongoing disputes.
He described local government autonomy as essential for democratic stability and cautioned against actions that could erode constitutional principles.
“The Supreme Court has said, ‘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. 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 your allocation dwindling,” Tinubu said.
The president urged APC members to prioritize unity and tolerance, adding: “We must continue to be resolute that this democracy that we take in our hands must not fail. We say we are bigger. We are larger and taller. But it should now be in our hearts to be accommodating. That’s the only way we can be resilient, we must be tolerant.”
Vice President Kashim Shettima praised Tinubu’s role in strengthening opposition politics, stating: “Politics rewards memory, and today, memory must begin with gratitude before we speak of maps and margins; we must acknowledge the singular role of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in building the very culture of opposition that brought us here.”
Tinubu also advocated for state police to combat insecurity, with safeguards against misuse, and pushed for greater female representation in politics while opposing federal overreach into state-regulated sectors like lotteries.
APC chairman Nentawe Yilwatda outlined plans for digital party membership registration, while Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Imo Governor Hope Uzodimma lauded Tinubu’s economic policies.
