Makinde Has Turned False, Unguarded Statements Into Art Form — FG Lambasts Makinde

The Presidency has accused Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of spreading falsehood and disinformation over his claim that the Federal Government is withholding ₦250 billion in Nigeria LNG (NLNG) dividends for each state until after the 2027 general elections.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described Makinde’s claim as false, insisting that the figures did not align with the historical dividends paid by NLNG to the Federation Account.

Makinde had raised the issue on Friday at the 2027 Budget Stakeholders’ Consultative Engagement held at the Olola Ogunlana Hall, International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, alleging that the Federal Government had spent the money and would not release it until after the elections.

“Each state was supposed to get ₦250 billion. We had already identified projects that would expand Oyo State’s economy. But they have now said the money will not be paid until after the election. Is the election more important than the people of Nigeria?” the governor had said.

But the Presidency argued that paying ₦250 billion to each of the 36 states would amount to ₦9 trillion, excluding the Federal Government, the Federal Capital Territory and the 774 local government councils.

Onanuga said that, under the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) revenue-sharing formula, states receive 26.72 per cent of distributable Federation Account revenue. He argued that for the states’ share alone to reach ₦9 trillion, total NLNG dividends paid into the account would have to exceed ₦33.68 trillion, or about $25 billion, in a single payout.

The presidential spokesman said NLNG had never paid such an amount in a single dividend declaration, adding that the company had paid approximately $21.5 billion in dividends to the Federation over the past 25 years, with less than $3 billion realised since President Bola Tinubu assumed office.

The Presidency therefore urged Nigerians to disregard Makinde’s claim, arguing that the alleged single payout would exceed the company’s entire historical dividend distribution to the Federation.

Taking a political swipe at the governor, Onanuga accused him of making misleading statements since embarking on his presidential ambition, rather than presenting what he described as verifiable facts.

“Indeed, he has turned false, unguarded statements and claims into an art form,” he said.

Onanuga also recalled Makinde’s previous description of the huge financial allocations flowing from the Federation Account to states, including Oyo, as “voodoo”.

While acknowledging that Makinde was free under Nigerian law to pursue his presidential ambition, the presidential spokesman urged him to desist from what he described as falsehood and disinformation.

He said the governor’s claims could mislead citizens and create unnecessary disaffection against the Federal Government.