Kogi rejects allegations of meddling in LG finances, insists autonomy intact

The Kogi government has dismissed allegations of diverting LG funds, describing them as “politically motivated falsehoods aimed at misleading the public”.

BACKGROUND

On November 20, the Igala Youth Council (IYC) staged a protest at the national assembly in Abuja, alleging persistent and unlawful misappropriation of LG funds by the Kogi state government.

The protesters, who were joined by members of civil society organisations (CSOs), said the action became necessary after months of gathering evidence on alleged interference with LG finances, constitutionally meant to be autonomous.

Onogu Collins, president general of the IYC, said the group’s findings—based on a case study of Dekina, Yagba east and Adavi LGAs—showed systematic diversion of funds meant for grassroots development, workers’ welfare and community projects.

In a petition to the leadership of the national assembly, the youths called for an independent audit of all LG allocations in Kogi state from 2024 to date.

‘ALLEGATIONS MEANT TO MISLEAD PUBLIC’ 

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Kingsley Fanwo, Kogi commissioner for information and communications, said the claims are part of a coordinated attempt to smear Usman Ododo, the governor of the state, and create the impression that the government interferes with council finances.

“These allegations are untrue, politically motivated, and deliberately orchestrated to mislead the public,” he said.

The commissioner added that the state government would ordinarily ignore such accusations but chose to respond because “silence can unintentionally empower misinformation”.

He said the groups pushing the allegations are “politically sponsored” and have offered no evidence to support their claims.

Fanwo said the campaign was driven by people who believe “power should be determined by place of birth rather than competence”.

He said the state upheld full LG autonomy and had no involvement in how councils utilised their resources.

“Local government councils receive their allocations, determine their expenditure, award contracts, process payroll, and implement projects independently,” he said.

Fanwo said all 21 councils publish their financial statements on the government website.

“We challenge the petitioners to name any state in Nigeria with a more transparent local government financial reporting system,” he stated.

He listed a series of projects executed by the councils, including the construction and remodelling of primary healthcare centres, the provision of solar-powered water systems, the rehabilitation of water facilities, road grading, and youth empowerment programmes.

He said each council trained 110 young people on CNG conversion and was procuring tools to help them become “job creators rather than job seekers”.

According to him, councils have also expanded rural security by engaging hunters, equipping vigilante groups, and providing motorcycles, vehicles, and operational offices.

Fanwo said the councils were meeting their salary and pension obligations and had begun defraying long-abandoned gratuities.

He stated that President Bola Tinubu’s reforms had made more resources available to the councils, adding that residents should “ignore lies sponsored by political actors”.

Olokun Tosin, chairman of Yagba west LGA said those accusing the councils of mismanaging funds lack knowledge of their activities.

“The state government does not tamper with our allocations,” Tosin, who is also the chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in the state.”

He said councils had been improving healthcare facilities, building workers’ quarters, executing water projects, procuring tractors, and improving rural infrastructure.

He added that councils had recruited thousands of hunters and supported vigilante groups with logistics.

John Ikani, chairman of Dekina LGA, said he gets his allocations in full, adding that the council under his leadership had built over 40 kilometres of roads and strengthened local security.

Enesi Nuhu, chairman of Okene LGA, said he is fully in charge of his allocation.

“Most of the rural roads in my local government have been constructed by my administration,” he said.

“Currently, we are building a trailer park that will soon be commissioned by the governor.”

Zacchaeus Michael, chairman of Kabba/Bunu LGA, said the allegations were “a fallacy”.

“Local government autonomy is in full force in Kogi State,” Michael said.

He added that “when performance is not an issue, propaganda is the order of the day”.