Alleged Missing N40trn LGA Allocations: Group takes Wike, govs to court

A legal action has been instituted against Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, and the 36 state governors over their failure to account for the alleged missing N40 trillion federal allocations meant for local governments in the states and the FCT. The suit was initiated by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), sequel to what it termed the damning revelations by former President Muhammadu Buhari, who in December 2022 stated that: “If the money from the Federation Account to the states 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.” In the suit designated FHC/ ABJ/CS/231/2024 filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja, the group is asking the court to direct and compel the governors to publish details of LGA allocations and actual disbursement of the allocations to local governments in their respective states from 1999 to date. SERAP is further praying to the court to compel and direct Wike to publish details of federal allocations meant for the Area Councils in the FCT and the actual disbursement of the allocations to the Area Councils in the FCT from 1999 to date. In its argument before the court, SERAP contended that: “The Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), the Freedom of Information Act, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights impose transparency obligations on the governors and Mr Wike to publish the details of LGA allocations and actual disbursement in their states and the FCT. “State governors and Mr Wike cannot hide under the excuse that the Freedom of Information Act is not applicable to their states and the FCT.”

According to SERAP: “It is in the public interest and the interest of justice to grant this application. Nigerians are entitled to their constitutionally and internationally recognised human right to information.” The legal action filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo, read in part: “Opacity in the amounts of federal allocations actually disbursed to local governments in the states and FCT has continued to have negative impacts on the fundamental interests of the citizens. “The constitutional principle of democracy provides a foundation for Nigerians’ right to know details of spending of public funds. Citizens’ right to know promotes openness, transparency, and accountability that is in turn crucial for the country’s democratic order.