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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has stated that President Bola Tinubu has no authority to determine how state and local governments spend additional revenue resulting from the fuel subsidy removal.
Wike made the remark on Wednesday at a media parley in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in his reaction to former Anambra governor Peter Obi’s comments on the management of the gains from subsidy removal.
Wike said that Obi ought to ask how the additional revenue accruing to the sub-nationals is being utilised rather than questioning the federal government.
“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.’
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“He has no power to tell local governments what to do with their money. All tiers of government are independent,” Wike stated.
Speaking further, the FCT minister noted that the increased allocations had given states greater financial capacity, adding that governments that previously struggled to pay salaries and pensions were now better positioned to execute 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.
“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.
