…Says Nigerians deserve facts, figures on disputed funds, not political distractions
The Allied People’s Movement (APM), Lagos State, has challenged Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, to provide clear and verifiable answers to questions raised by Oyo State Governor and APM presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, over the reported non-release of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) dividend revenues, instead of attacking his person and questioning his political motives.
The party, in a press statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday by its State Publicity Secretary, Ayodele Kazeem Olalekan, said Makinde was entitled to participate in national discussions on public finance, economic management and the welfare of Nigerians, notwithstanding his presidential ambition. It maintained that his political affiliation should not prevent the Federal Government from addressing the substantive issues he had raised.
APM expressed concern that Onanuga’s response to Makinde’s claims had concentrated more on criticising the governor’s conduct and political aspirations than providing a comprehensive account of the financial transactions in question. The party said the central issue remained the status of the disputed NLNG dividend funds and what had happened to the money.
“If Governor Makinde’s figures are inaccurate, the Presidency should provide the correct figures, supported by verifiable financial records,” the party stated, urging the Federal Government to clarify whether any funds due to states had been withheld, explain any reported delays and disclose when the relevant revenues were received, accounted for and distributed or scheduled for distribution.
The party also called for a detailed breakdown of the NLNG dividend receipts, the applicable revenue-sharing arrangements, the amounts distributed to the various tiers of government and any outstanding balances. It argued that references to the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) revenue-sharing formula and calculations concerning the alleged ₦250 billion allocation to each state were insufficient to settle every question without clarification of the specific funds under discussion.
According to APM, it is necessary to distinguish between dividends declared or paid by NLNG, revenues received into the Federation Account, funds available for distribution and actual allocations to the federal, state and local governments. It urged the Presidency to clarify whether Makinde’s reference to ₦250 billion concerned a specific allocation, projected revenue distribution or a broader estimate of anticipated state revenue.
Describing personal attacks as unhelpful to public debate, the party said accountability was a responsibility owed to all Nigerians, regardless of political affiliation. It added that state governments faced enormous responsibilities in infrastructure, education, healthcare, security and economic development, making transparency in the management and distribution of public revenue particularly important.
APM, therefore, urged Onanuga and the Presidency to address the substance of Makinde’s questions with evidence rather than political rhetoric. The party maintained that if the Federal Government had acted properly, a transparent explanation would strengthen public confidence, while any inaccuracies in the governor’s claims should be established through verifiable records. “Nigerians do not need another political exchange. They need answers,” the statement declared, concluding with the party’s message: “Nigeria First.”
