Former governorship candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in Ondo state, Abass Mimiko, has called on Nigerians to demand greater accountability from state governors over the trillions of naira allocated to states through the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC). Mimiko made this appeal in an interview with members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ondo town. He emphasized that citizens should insist on improvements in their lives rather than directing every complaint about poor living conditions at the federal government.
According to figures from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, state governments collectively received about N4.41 trillion through the six FAAC disbursements published from January to June 2026. The monthly state allocations ranged from about N651.5 billion to N794 billion. Ondo state, for instance, received about N113.04 billion in the same six-month period, with monthly total net allocations ranging from about N16.21 billion to N21.05 billion. These allocations have been increasing under the current administration.
Mimiko argued that the increasing revenues available to states should translate into better roads, healthcare, education, agriculture, and other basic services. He noted that the federal government could not be held responsible for non-performance at the state level. “I don’t think it is the responsibility of the president to come to a state and say, you have N50 billion, do agriculture. Mend your roads. Do primary healthcare. Make education more affordable for your people,” he said.
Mimiko urged citizens to scrutinize the performance of their governors, particularly where residents continued to complain about inadequate infrastructure and basic services despite increased public revenue. He emphasized that Nigeria’s federal structure gave substantial responsibilities and resources to the sub-national governments. As such, citizens should extend their demand for accountability to the local government level.
The former governorship candidate stressed that people must call out their governors and ask, ‘What are you doing with this huge allocation?’ He added that citizens should use their votes to demand tangible results from elected officials. According to Mimiko, people say that people get the government they deserve, and it is a truism because citizens have the ability to choose their leader.
Mimiko’s call for accountability is timely, given the increasing allocations to states. The FAAC disbursements have been consistent, with states receiving substantial funds. However, the impact of these allocations on the lives of citizens has been minimal. As such, citizens are beginning to demand more from their governors.
Ultimately, Mimiko’s message is clear: citizens must take responsibility for demanding accountability from their leaders. By doing so, they can ensure that the trillions of naira allocated to states are used to improve their lives. The onus is now on Nigerians to ask their governors to account for the funds they receive.
Key points
- Abass Mimiko challenges Nigerians to demand accountability from governors over FAAC allocations.
- State governments collectively received about N4.41 trillion through FAAC disbursements from January to June 2026.
- Mimiko urges citizens to use their votes to demand tangible results from elected officials.
