Wike, 36 Governors Given Ultimatum To Account For Over N40trn LGA Allocations

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has asked the 36 states governors in Nigeria and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to make public details of over N40 trillion federal allocations meant for local governments in their states and the FCT.

SERAP also called for details of the actual disbursement of the allocations to the local governments since the return of democracy in 1999.

The organisation urged Wike and the governors to invite Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to promptly investigate the actual disbursement and spending since May 1999.

In a freedom of information requests dated January 27, 2024 and signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said Nigerians have the right to know the details of actual disbursement and spending of federal allocations in states and the FCT.

According to the organisation, lack of transparency in the amounts of federal allocations actually disbursed to local governments has continued to have negative impacts on the fundamental interests of the citizens and the public interest.

SERAP, therefore, warned that if appropriate actions are not taken with regards to its requests within seven days, it would consider legal actions to compel Wike and the governors.

The FOI requests, read, in part: “SERAP is concerned that despite the country’s enormous oil wealth, ordinary Nigerians have derived very little benefit from oil money primarily because of widespread grand corruption, and the culture of impunity of perpetrators.

“Combating the corruption epidemic in the spending of federal allocations meant for local government areas in your state would alleviate poverty, improve access of Nigerians to basic public goods, and enhance the ability of the local governments to effectively and efficiently discharge their constitutional and statutory responsibilities.

“According to our information, the 36 states in Nigeria and the federal capital territory, Abuja, have collected over N40 trillion federal allocations meant for the 774 local governments areas in the country and FCT.

“The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed to states N225.21 billion federal allocations meant for local governments in November 2023 alone. States also collected N258,810,449,711.47 federal allocations meant for local government areas in December 2023.

“However, there is opacity in the actual disbursement of federal allocations to the local government areas in your state. States and the FCT have over the years failed and/or refused to disclose the portion of federal allocations that are disbursed by state governors.

“SERAP notes that former president Muhammadu Buhari recently alleged that state governors routinely pocket or divert federal allocations meant for local governments areas in their states.

“According to Buhari, ‘If the money from the Federation Account to the State is about N100 million, N50 million will be sent to the chairman but he will sign that he received N100 million. The chairman will pocket the balance and share it with whoever he wants to share it with.’

“SERAP also urges you to provide details of the transparency and accountability mechanisms that have been put in place to ensure that the trillions of naira of federal allocations that have been received by your state and the FCT are not embezzled, misappropriated or diverted into private pockets.”