I stand by my position that FG withholds N250bn NLNG funds due to states—Makinde

…challenges APC-led govt to counter him with records

The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has challenged the Federal Government to publish records of dividends paid by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) into the Federation Account, alleging that nearly N250 billion due to each of the 36 states and local governments has been withheld over the years.

Makinde, who spoke in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Tuesday during the South-South leg of his zonal town hall engagements ahead of the 2027 general elections, maintained his allegation and urged the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to respond with verifiable records.

“I stand by what I have said. The records are there. The papers are there,” he declared.

The Oyo State governor clarified that he was not claiming the amount represented a one-off payment owed to the states. Rather, he alleged that the federal government had spent NLNG dividends paid into the Federation Account over the years without sharing the proceeds with state and local governments.

He said, “What I said is that, over the years, including during this administration, the Federal Government has been spending alone the dividends paid by Nigeria LNG into the Federation Account.”

Makinde added, “Anything that goes into the Federation Account, according to our Constitution, should be shared between the Federal Government, state governments, and local governments.

“Let them provide the amounts meant for the states and local governments in Nigeria.”

The APM candidate also accused the Federal Government of trying to prevent opposition parties from uniting ahead of the 2027 elections. He expressed confidence that voters in the South-South would reject the APC and support his presidential ambition.

“I can tell you that they are doing everything possible to ensure that the opposition does not unite,” he alleged.

Unveiling his Reset Nigeria agenda as a blueprint for national transformation, Makinde said his program would prioritise education, security, economic growth and reforms to the country’s socio-political structure.

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He argued that skills development, knowledge and a thriving middle class were essential for sustainable economic prosperity.

On the economy, Makinde advocated tax incentives to support entrepreneurs, citing his administration’s experience in Oyo State as evidence that internally generated revenue could increase without higher taxes.

He also criticised the Federal Government’s tax policy, arguing that wealth should be taxed rather than placing additional burdens on poor Nigerians.

The governor further challenged the Federal Government to publish its petroleum products pricing template, questioning whether initiatives such as the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and the naira-for-crude arrangement had reduced transportation costs for Nigerians.

Earlier, the APM National Leader and Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, urged Nigerians, particularly youths and women, to make informed decisions in the 2027 elections based on candidates’ records and capacity to deliver rather than their financial resources or age.

“It is not about money. It is not about age. It is not about anything. It is about pedigree”, Mohammed told the gathering.

He described Makinde and his running mate, Alhaji Lawal Daura, as candidates with the vision, knowledge, energy and roadmap needed to address Nigeria’s challenges.

Mohammed also encouraged Nigerians to contribute to shaping the party’s agenda through public engagement and social media.

In his remarks, the APM vice-presidential candidate, Daura, said the party was determined to break what he described as Nigeria’s cycle of stagnation and ensure citizens had access to dignity, security, education and economic opportunities.

He said, “Nigerians have no reason to be poor. They have no reason to be poor. But at least, Nigerians are entitled to live a dignified life.”

Daura described the APM as a patriotic party committed to justice, truthful politics and national interest, declaring that its guiding principle was “Nigeria first”.

He urged Nigerians to support the party’s Reset agenda, which he said was designed to improve citizens’ welfare and move the country forward.

The APM National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, said the need to reset Nigeria stemmed from the failure of existing systems to deliver the desired results.

He argued that the country could not continue with the same approach while expecting different outcomes.

He said, “Why do you reset something? You reset something that is not working. Nigeria is not working. We can’t continue to do the same thing and expect different results.”

Dantalle identified insecurity, poverty, inequality and hopelessness as symptoms of deeper socio-economic and political problems. He noted that Nigerians increasingly feared for their safety while travelling, visiting farms or carrying out their daily activities.

He said the party was offering Nigerians an opportunity to change direction and build a country where citizens could live safely and take pride in their nationality.