“Ask States What They Did With Subsidy Billions, Not Tinubu” — Wike Replies Obi, Says President Can’t Dictate How Governors Spend Gains
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has told former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, to question state governors on how they are spending the extra revenue from fuel subsidy removal, not President Bola Tinubu.
Wike said Tinubu has no constitutional power to dictate to states and local governments how to utilise the gains of subsidy removal.
Speaking on Wednesday at a media parley in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Wike said Obi got the debate wrong.
“All he should have asked is, ‘Having removed the subsidy, what do you do with the gains?’ This is what I think a reasonable person should talk about.
“Now, the government has said the gains have been shared among sub-nationals. Tinubu has no power to say, ‘State, this is what you should do with the funds that you’ve brought in from the fuel subsidy.’
“He has no power to tell local governments what to do with their money. All tiers of government are independent,” Wike said.
He said the additional allocations have improved states’ finances, ending salary and pension arrears and enabling projects.
“Today states are saying, unlike before, we can’t pay salaries or pensions, and there are strikes all over the place. Now there are no strikes; there are advantages. Now, I have money to carry out projects,” he said.
The former Rivers governor praised Tinubu for taking the bold step.
“Tinubu deserves kudos for taking the bold decision no president took. Now, it’s time for states to account for the funds they have gotten,” he added.
The subsidy debate has returned ahead of 2027, with ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, vowing to restore subsidy if elected, while Obi insists removal was necessary but needed a clear deployment plan.
President Tinubu, who declared “fuel subsidy is gone” on May 29, 2023, had on July 30 said states now earn four to five times their previous allocation, urging them to invest in roads and security access rather than flyovers without traffic justification.
