The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has accused governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, of diverting Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, funds to finance the re-election campaign of President Bola Tinubu.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi, made the allegation in a statement issued on Tuesday.
Mr Abdullahi described the alleged diversion of over N800 billion from FAAC allocations for political purposes as “shameless, cruel and criminal,” especially at a time many Nigerians are facing economic hardship.
According to him, the allegations confirmed long-standing suspicions that while Nigerians were being urged to endure the consequences of the government’s economic reforms, public resources were allegedly being channelled into preparations for the 2027 general elections.
“It is morally indefensible that state governments receiving record-breaking allocations are unable to improve the lives of the people, yet could divert money to fund the president’s re-election ambitions,” the statement said.
The ADC noted that despite increased revenues accruing to states under the current administration, many Nigerians continued to grapple with worsening poverty, hunger and insecurity.
“Under this APC government, states are receiving more money than at any other period in Nigeria’s history, yet Nigerians are poorer, hungrier and more desperate than ever before.
“Roads are still collapsing. Hospitals are still empty. Schools are still underfunded. Workers are underpaid. Communities remain unsafe. The only thing growing is the political appetite of the ruling party,” the party stated.
The opposition party further argued that if the allegations were proven true, the development would amount to “a direct theft of resources belonging to the Nigerian people.”
“FAAC allocations are meant for development, salaries, healthcare, education, infrastructure, security and the welfare of citizens, not for financing the re-election plans of one man.
“To divert public allocations into political accounts while citizens cannot afford food is wickedness on an industrial scale,” the statement added.
The ADC also claimed that the allegations explained why some APC governors appeared more focused on political manoeuvring than governance despite increased inflows into state coffers following the removal of fuel subsidy and the devaluation of the naira.
“The same government that told Nigerians there is no money to reduce suffering somehow found a way to allegedly mobilise over N800 billion for politics.
“The same government asking citizens to endure sacrifice is allegedly supervising one of the largest political funding operations in Nigeria’s democratic history,” the party alleged.
The ADC called for an independent investigation into the allegations, including the reported use of FAAC deductions and related accounts allegedly linked to the operation.
“Nigerians deserve to know whether money belonging to states and local governments was diverted for partisan political purposes. If these allegations are true, then this represents a dangerous abuse of public trust and a scandal of enormous national consequence,” Mr Abdullahi said.
