By Gabriel Ameh
Human rights lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, has condemned alleged deductions from state allocations through the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) for the purpose of funding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election campaign, describing it as unconstitutional and a grave abuse of public trust.
In a strongly worded statement, Adeyanju said any deduction of statutory allocations at source for political purposes raises serious constitutional and criminal concerns, stressing that FAAC allocations are public funds meant for the development and welfare of citizens across the states.
According to him, Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution clearly states that FAAC allocations belong to the states as federating units and are held in trust for the people, not for partisan political interests or campaign financing.
The activist further argued that if billions of naira are allegedly being channelled into political campaigns, such actions may violate provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, which prescribes limits on political donations and campaign financing.
He warned that the alleged diversion of public funds could amount to criminal breach of trust, abuse of office, misappropriation of public resources, and economic sabotage against affected states.
Adeyanju also raised concerns over the lack of transparency and public consent regarding the alleged deductions, insisting that Nigerians deserve accountability on how state resources are managed.
He called on anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, to immediately investigate the allegations, recover any diverted funds, and prosecute anyone found culpable in line with the law.
The statement has since sparked conversations over public finance accountability, constitutional governance, and the use of state resources in Nigeria’s political process.
