Adebamiwa Olugbenga Michael
Since June 2023, Nigeria’s states have been swimming in unprecedented allocations from the Federation Account. Each month, billions of naira flow from Abuja into state coffers yet the cries of hunger, poverty, and joblessness only grow louder. The streets tell a story of suffering, of children out of school, of farmers struggling without support, of hospitals reduced to consulting clinics. So, the question every Nigerian should boldly ask is this. What exactly are our governors doing with all these resources?
When President Tinubu announced economic reforms, particularly fuel subsidy removal, one of the strongest justifications was that states would now have “more money” to address their people’s pressing needs. Indeed, monthly allocations have multiplied. Just today, over ₦2 trillion was shared at FAAC. But how many citizens can point to visible, tangible improvements in their states?
Instead, what we witness is a reckless cycle of frivolity and waste. SUVs worth hundreds of millions are dashed to traditional rulers and celebrities, while teachers and health workers sometimes go unpaid, civil servants are owed arrears, and pensioners die waiting for entitlements. A governor gifting a musician an SUV because his radio station got burnt might look glamorous on the surface, but it reflects a deeper rot in leadership priorities. Is this how state funds are meant to be deployed?
Beyond this, there is the dark cloud of security votes, huge sums withdrawn monthly in secrecy without accountability. Are these funds genuinely being deployed to secure our communities, or are they simply serving as slush funds for political comfort? In a country battling kidnappings, banditry, and rural insecurity, how do governors justify security votes while insecurity festers?
Equally troubling is the silence of those who should be the people’s watchdogs. Labour unions, civil society groups, social activists voices that rise with venom against the Federal Government, suddenly lose steam when it comes to questioning governors. Why? Is it fear, complicity, or selective outrage? Democracy loses its soul when accountability is only demanded at the centre while state leaders roam unchecked.
Governors are not emperors. They are elected stewards, meant to complement the Federal Government in providing the basics, education, healthcare, security, electricity (now deregulated), clean water, good roads, and economic opportunities. Yet, too many are content chasing white elephant projects like reconstructing or remodeling state Governors lodge and state house of assembly complex designed for prestige rather than impact.
If the states were truly fiscally responsible, Nigeria’s foundation would be far stronger than it is today. Governance is closest to the people at the state level yet Nigerians often ignore their governors while pouring all their frustrations on the presidency. That imbalance must change.
The truth is this, until we begin to hold governors accountable for the billions they receive each month, poverty will persist, hunger will deepen, and unemployment will remain our greatest national crisis. Citizens must rise, ask questions, demand transparency, and insist on responsible governance at the state level.
Because if we don’t, then we may all indeed be missing the bigger picture while the future of millions quietly slips away.
Adebamiwa Olugbenga Michael writes from Lagos