Critics of Tinubu’s Executive Order on Oil Revenues Can Go to Court, Says Budget Office Boss

Tanimu Yakubu, director-general of the Budget Office of the Federation, has said those disputing the constitutional validity of President Bola Tinubu’s latest executive order can go to court.

Last Wednesday, Tinubu released an executive order mandating that all oil and gas revenues should be directly remitted to the Federal Action. 

Yakubu, who is the secretary of the Implementation Committee on Executive Order, said on Monday that “commentary suggesting that Executive Order 9 amounts to the President ‘making law’ misstates both the Constitution and the fiscal question at issue”.

He said: “EO9 does not create law; it enforces constitutional custody of Federation revenues.

Section 80(1) of the Constitution (1999, as amended) is mandatory: all revenues or other monies raised or received by the Federation shall be paid into and form one Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation. Public revenue cannot lawfully be retained, applied, or warehoused outside constitutional funds.

“Section 162 complements this rule by requiring revenues accruing to the Federation to be paid into the Federation Account for distribution in accordance with constitutional allocation principles. The order of legality is clear: revenue must first enter constitutionally recognised accounts before it can be appropriated, shared, or spent.

“EO9 operationalises these provisions in the oil and gas sector by directing direct remittance of petroleum revenues – including royalties, taxes, profit oil and gas, penalties, and related receipts – into constitutionally recognised accounts, and by tightening reconciliation and transparency across collection, custody, and reporting.

“EO9 does not intrude into legislative competence. Section 60(1) preserves the procedural autonomy of the National Assembly; EO9 does not regulate legislative procedure, amend the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), or repeal any statute. It is an executive instrument issued under Section 5 to ensure faithful execution of the Constitution and applicable laws.

“If any party disputes the constitutional validity of EO9, the judiciary remains the proper forum for determination. Pending any judicial pronouncement, the Executive is duty-bound to protect Federation revenues, uphold constitutional supremacy, and strengthen fiscal integrity for FAAC distributions, budget credibility, and macroeconomic stability.”