FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has declared that President Bola Tinubu holds no authority over how state governments and local councils choose to spend the additional revenue generated since the removal of the fuel subsidy.

Wike made his position clear during a media parley held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday, September 2, and monitored by Legit.ng, while responding to recent remarks by former Anambra State governor Peter Obi concerning the management of proceeds from the subsidy removal.

Wike redirects scrutiny to Sub-nationals

Rather than defending the federal government's handling of the funds, Wike turned the spotlight on the states themselves. He argued that Obi's criticism was aimed in the wrong direction, and that any meaningful interrogation of how subsidy gains are being managed should focus on what state and local governments are doing with their enlarged allocations, not on decisions made in Abuja.

The minister maintained that the federal government's role in that equation is limited, and that Tinubu simply does not have the mandate to dictate spending decisions at the sub-national level.

States now better positioned, Wike says

Wike also pointed to what he described as a visible improvement in the financial standing of many state governments since allocations increased. He noted that several administrations that previously found it difficult to meet basic obligations, including the payment of salaries and pensions, were now in a stronger position to fund and deliver infrastructure projects.

His comments suggest that, in his view, the gains from the subsidy removal have already translated into greater fiscal capacity for the states, and that the conversation should shift to accountability at that level rather than at the presidency.