The Naija Times Journalism Foundation (NTJF) has asked the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the alleged use of public funds by Adamawa LG chairmen to sponsor their wives on a trip to Turkey.
A statement issued Monday by Ehi Braimah, chairman of NTJF, said the trip was not captured in any budget line and “therefore amounted to fiscal indiscipline and impunity”.
The group described the foreign training as “wasteful spending of scarce public resources” and “an outrageous abuse of office”, adding that the spouses of council chairmen are not public officials.
“What leadership training do these LGA chairmen’s wives need that cannot be received from Nigerian institutions and at no cost to taxpayers?” the statement reads.
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NTJF cited data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which shows Adamawa is Nigeria’s fifth poorest state with a poverty rate of 75.41 percent.
The media foundation said the state has also been heavily affected by the Boko Haram insurgency, noting that critical investments in education, healthcare, infrastructure and social welfare should take priority over frivolous foreign trips.
The foundation urged citizens, the media, civil society groups, and cultural and religious leaders to denounce corruption and demand accountability across all levels of government.
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“It is not just enough to widen the tax net. It is equally crucial to ensure accountability and judicious use of tax monies,” the statement added.
NTJF said it will continue to support citizen groups with training and advocacy to combat corruption and prevent abuse of public office.
The trip has also elicited strong reactions across the country. Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, described the sponsorship as “an abuse of office that should not be condoned”.
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