The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kebbi State has demanded detailed records of the state’s revenue and expenditure between May 2023 and October 2025, alleging that about N627.14 billion accrued to the state during the period.
The opposition party said the figure was compiled from data attributed to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, National Bureau of Statistics, NEITI and the World Bank.
Bello Abdullahi, Director of Strategic Communications of the ADC Kebbi Campaign Council, said the party wants the state government to provide records showing total receipts, expenditure, procurement, and projects executed with the funds.
He also questioned spending on vehicle maintenance and local travel and transportation, demanding details of the expenditure and the benefits derived from it.
But the Kebbi State Government rejected the allegation of financial mismanagement, saying the ADC was confusing budget projections with actual revenue received.
Ibrahim Abubakar Jombali, Special Adviser to Governor Nasir Idris on Public Enlightenment and Orientation, said, “A budget is not a bank account,” arguing that projected revenue does not represent money already available to the government.
According to the government’s account of its 2025 finances, Kebbi projected N276.27 billion from its Capital Development Fund but realized N47.45 billion. It said the N228.82 billion gap represented unrealized revenue, not missing funds.
The state also said it received more than N172 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee, against a projection of N209.25 billion, and spent about N239.77 billion, including N152.85 billion on capital projects.
Yahaya Sarki, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the governor, challenged the ADC to identify specific spending it considered unlawful or unaccounted for and provide supporting documents.
The ADC, however, maintained that the government’s explanation did not answer its demand for detailed financial and procurement records.
The dispute has also drawn the Kebbi chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) into the controversy.
APC acting chairman Adamu Mudi-Augie said the government’s projects in roads, education, and healthcare provided evidence of how public funds had been used. He also challenged the ADC to explain the wealth and assets linked to its political ally, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami.
The APC’s argument comes amid a separate legal case involving Malami. In July 2026, the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to the former minister after proceedings initiated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Malami and other respondents had disputed the allegations and argued that the properties were lawfully acquired.
The financial dispute is now becoming part of the political contest in Kebbi ahead of the 2027 elections, with the ADC demanding greater disclosure from the government and the APC defending the administration’s spending record.
