The governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress in Kwara State, Abdulmumin Ajia, has called for an independent audit of the Kwara State Social Investment Programme over allegations that the scheme is being used to settle political obligations.
Ajia also demanded a comprehensive account of the programme’s finances from inception, including annual appropriations, actual fund releases, expenditure, administrative costs and outstanding balances.
The demands were contained in a statement he personally signed on Wednesday and made available to The PUNCH, in which he urged Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the KWASSIP management to provide documented explanations for the programme’s spending and beneficiary selection procedures.
The allegations, according to Ajia, include substantial payments reportedly made outside established application and beneficiary selection processes, with some amounts said to fall outside the programme’s recognised benefit categories.
He said the claims raised questions about the purpose, authorisation and oversight of the expenditure, adding that an independent examination was necessary to establish the facts.
“Social investment should protect vulnerable households, support livelihoods and provide a credible pathway out of poverty
“Any diversion of those resources, if established, would constitute a betrayal of the people the programme exists to serve,” Ajia said.
The NDC candidate called on the government to disclose the eligibility criteria for beneficiaries, approved benefit categories, payment limits and verifiable disbursement figures across the state’s 16 local government areas, while protecting beneficiaries’ sensitive personal information.
He also demanded explanations for any payments made outside established procedures, including their purposes, approving authorities and supporting budgetary provisions.
Ajia further urged the government to publish details of consultants, contractors and payment intermediaries engaged by KWASSIP, including their selection processes, responsibilities and fees.
He said the proposed independent audit should have its scope and findings made public, alongside the government’s response to any issues identified.
“The General Manager of KWASSIP should exercise particular care in authorising and administering public expenditure. Every payment must have a demonstrable public purpose, proper approval and an auditable record,” he said.
The candidate warned that the programme’s management and other relevant officials should be prepared to account for their decisions, particularly with a new administration expected to take office in 2027.
He urged the preservation of payment instructions, beneficiary records, approval documents, bank transaction records, contracts and relevant official correspondence for possible lawful scrutiny.
Ajia also called on the Kwara State House of Assembly to exercise its oversight responsibilities through a transparent examination of the allegations, urging it to refer any credible evidence of financial misconduct to the appropriate investigative authorities.
“Where wrongdoing is established, recovery and accountability should follow through lawful procedures,” he said.
He, however, cautioned that any investigation must not disrupt legitimate assistance to vulnerable residents, urging the protection of beneficiaries and whistle-blowers from intimidation, political conditions and retaliation.
“Public assistance is funded by the people. Access to it must never depend on party membership, personal loyalty or support for a political officeholder,” Ajia said.
“Funds intended to alleviate hardship must never become a means of settling political obligations.”
The call for transparency comes against the backdrop of the state government’s social intervention programmes, including the Youth Entrepreneurial Empowerment Scheme, through which the government recently awarded N89.2m in grants to 12 young entrepreneurs to support their businesses, promote self-reliance and create employment opportunities.
The grants were disbursed through KWASSIP, with its General Manager, Wasiu Tejidini, presenting cheques to the beneficiaries at his office in Ilorin on Monday.
Ajia urged the governor and the programme’s management to address the concerns through full disclosure and independent scrutiny, saying this would help protect legitimate beneficiaries and restore public confidence in the scheme.
“Kwarans deserve social investment that improves their lives, supported by records they can trust. The government should provide those records, and the General Manager should be prepared to explain them,” he added.