The Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, has made serious accusations against the federal government led by President Bola Tinubu, claiming it has taken a politically biased approach in the allocation of palliative funding to states across Nigeria.
In his statement, Lawal alleged that Zamfara was denied share of the N500 billion palliative fund because he is not a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), suggesting that the Tinubu administration has intentionally excluded states led by opposition parties.
He pointed out that his state has not received any federal support since the removal of the fuel subsidy, attributing this lack of assistance directly to his membership in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a widely circulated video, Lawal asserted that APC-controlled states have been the main beneficiaries of federal palliative funds, which were designed to help citizens cope with the rising cost of living resulting from the economic policies of the APC government.
Lawal claimed, “I am aware of states that have received palliatives from the over N500 billion allocated by the federal government, but I have not received a single kobo. I believe my non-affiliation with the APC is the reason for this.”
The governor further stressed that Zamfara has been left to manage its crises independently, even amid significant economic and security challenges.
“Our government in Zamfara has had to depend exclusively on state resources to assist residents through food distribution and various welfare initiatives,” he stated.
He articulated that the federal government’s palliative measures ought to be equitably shared among all states, irrespective of their political affiliations, emphasizing that citizens should not be penalized because of political disagreements among different levels of government.
Lawal’s comments reflect the growing discontent among opposition governors regarding what they perceive as preferential treatment in the allocation of federal resources. Such grievances have also emerged from Osun State, which previously governed by the PDP, concerning withheld local government funding.
The palliatives, which comprise cash transfers, food supplies, and other relief materials, were implemented nationwide following the 2023 removal of fuel subsidies, a move that resulted in rampant inflation and increased the living costs for many Nigerians.
While the federal government initially rolled out some support packages to various states, it appears that subsequent distributions have not been uniform, leading to significant grievances from opposition-led states.
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