A dispute has emerged in Kebbi State over the management of state finances, with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) demanding an account of funds received by the state between May 2023 and October 2025. The opposition party claims that the state received N627.14 billion during this period and is challenging the government to provide detailed records of revenue, expenditure, and projects delivered. The state government has rejected the allegations, arguing that projected revenue in government budgets should not be confused with money actually received into the state's coffers.
The ADC obtained its figure from data attributed to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the National Bureau of Statistics, NEITI, and the World Bank. Abdullahi Abubakar, Director of Strategic Communications of the ADC Kebbi State Campaign Council, said the party's figure was not an allegation but a compilation of actual data. He challenged the APC and the state government to produce counter-figures if they disputed the amount, arguing that listing completed projects did not answer the opposition's demand for financial records.
The state government has responded, saying that the ADC has misunderstood the nature of government budgets. Ibrahim Abubakar Jombali, Special Adviser to Governor Nasir Idris on Public Enlightenment and Orientation, said a budget represents projected revenue and planned expenditure rather than funds already available to the government. He rejected the suggestion that the shortfall in the Capital Development Fund represented missing funds, saying there was no missing money, only unrealised revenue.
According to the government, Kebbi received more than N172 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee, representing 82.6 per cent of its N209.25 billion projection, while internally generated revenue also fell short of its target. The government said it adjusted expenditure in response to the revenue shortfall and spent nearly N240 billion, including more than N152 billion on capital projects.
The controversy has widened into a political exchange involving the Kebbi ADC, the state government, and the All Progressives Congress (APC). The APC has questioned the financial record of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who is backing the ADC ahead of the 2027 election. The party has used a separate forfeiture case involving properties linked to Malami and his family members to question the accountability standard being demanded from the Kebbi government.
The ADC has maintained that the government's explanation does not address its demand for detailed financial and procurement records covering the period under review. Abdullahi said a party press statement was not a financial statement and that the question asked was a government question requiring government organs to answer. The ADC has called on the House of Assembly, Accountant-General, Auditor-General, and public procurement authorities to provide relevant records.
The political dispute is ongoing, with both sides trading accusations and counter-accusations. The ADC is demanding verifiable evidence for projects on which billions of naira were allocated, while the government is challenging the opposition to identify specific expenditure it considers unlawful, wasteful, or unaccounted for. The controversy is likely to continue to escalate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Key points
- The Kebbi state government and ADC are at odds over alleged financial mismanagement of N627.14 billion revenue.
- The state government has rejected the allegations, arguing that projected revenue in government budgets should not be confused with money actually received into the state's coffers.
- The controversy has widened into a political exchange involving the Kebbi ADC, the state government, and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
