ActionAid Nigeria has raised an alarm over the allegations that state governors were mobilising and deploying public funds into their electioneering campaigns for the 2027 general elections.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, ActionAid Nigeria’s Country Director, Dr Andrew Mamedu, called for a thorough investigation into the allegations and immediate actions to hold the governors accountable.
Mamedu said that the reports about the abuse of public funds by these politicians were very insensitive and called for concern amidst the biting economic hardship in the country.
Mamedu noted that “It is appalling that at a time when Nigeria is drowning in debt, workers are struggling with the rising cost of living, public hospitals are underfunded, schools are collapsing, insecurity is spreading, and millions of Nigerians are battling hunger and extreme economic hardship, that any suggestion that public resources are being diverted or deployed for political campaigns.
“ It is outrageous, reckless, immoral, and completely unacceptable. Let it be clearly stated that governors are not elected to convert state resources into political war chests. Nigerians did not vote for public office holders to use taxpayer funds, state allocations, public procurement systems, security votes, government assets, or state institutions to fund political ambitions and electoral calculations.
“ Nigerians deserve to know whether these funds came from legitimate private political fundraising or whether state resources were directly or indirectly used, leveraged, diverted, coordinated, or disguised for political purposes. If these funds did not come from public resources, then those involved must come out publicly and transparently state so.”
ActionAid Nigeria also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and State Houses of Assembly to immediately launch a full-scale, independent, transparent, and forensic investigation into these allegations. This is a matter of public interest, democratic integrity, accountability, and the protection of public resources belonging to millions of Nigerians.
He added, “ActionAid Nigeria calls for the immediate commencement of impeachment proceedings against any governor found guilty of using state resources for partisan political purposes. Any governor who diverts public resources for political campaigns has violated public trust and abused the mandate given to them by citizens.
“Such individuals should not remain in office. Appropriate sanctions must also include prosecution, recovery of diverted funds, removal from public office, disqualification from holding public offices in the future, and every other legal consequence necessary to protect democratic accountability and deter future abuse.”
