By Bello Shehu Tamaje
The demand by the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Hon. Manir Muhammad Dan’Iya, for the Sokoto State Government to disclose its Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) receipts from 2023 to date raises a fundamental question about the quality of political debate the state deserves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While accountability is indispensable to democratic governance, it must be pursued with a proper understanding of public financial reporting, verifiable facts and a willingness to subject both present and past administrations to the same standards of scrutiny.
FAAC allocations to states are routinely reported through public channels, making the figures accessible to journalists, researchers, political parties and interested citizens. Consequently, demanding the disclosure of figures already available in the public domain, without identifying any specific discrepancy or suspected irregularity, risks generating political controversy without advancing meaningful accountability. If Dan’Iya has concerns about Sokoto State’s allocations, he should identify the figures in question, present his evidence and explain what clarification he seeks.
More importantly, the debate should go beyond how much money Sokoto State receives every month to examine how effectively those resources are managed and translated into tangible benefits for the people. Revenue figures matter, but their real significance lies in what they deliver in infrastructure, education, healthcare, security, water supply, agriculture and workers’ welfare. The ultimate test of leadership is not simply the amount of money received but the results achieved with public funds.
Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s administration has continued to present its policies, projects and development initiatives for public assessment. Its position is that governance should be judged by the responsible management of public resources and the measurable benefits delivered to citizens.
Through official channels, the government has also communicated project approvals, expenditure decisions and other development activities. These claims, like those of any administration, should be assessed against verifiable records and the actual state of implementation.
However, Dan’Iya’s demand raises an equally important question, what does his own record in public office reveal about his understanding of accountability and responsible governance? He served as Deputy Governor under former Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and previously held the position of Commissioner for Local Government. These were influential positions that placed him close to government decision making and exposed him to the management of public resources. His experience therefore gives voters a legitimate basis to ask what he contributed to governance and how did he managed funds of the two offices during those years.
What lasting projects did the administration in which he served deliver? How effectively did it address the challenges facing local governments? What was its record on workers’ welfare, pension obligations, public infrastructure and essential services? What measurable improvements can be attributed to the policies he supported or helped implement? These are not attempts to deny him the right to criticise the present government. They are legitimate questions that any serious contender for the governorship should be prepared to answer.
Workers’ welfare is one area where competing records deserve particular scrutiny. The APC has repeatedly contrasted its record on salary payments with the experience of workers under the previous administration, which was marked by delays and uncertainty. The current government also is also credited with the implementation of the new minimum wage across state and local government services, as well as recruitment into various ministries, departments and agencies.
The current government, also provided gainful employment to curb idleness amongst the youth. Thus, it has recruited 3,100 workers into various ministries, departments and agencies, 2,400 health workers and 1,550 personnel for the Sokoto Marshall. These initiatives, alongside investments in infrastructure and other essential sectors, form part of the administration’s case for public support.
The plight of pensioners and the reported backlog of gratuities inherited from the previous administration also deserves serious attention. These are not merely partisan talking points. They concern the livelihoods and entitlements of people who devoted years of service to the state. Dan’Iya should therefore be prepared to explain the circumstances surrounding these challenges during the period he served in government, the measures taken to address them and the results achieved. If he considers the criticisms unfair, he has an opportunity to present documentary evidence and offer a credible account of his administration’s record.
Nevertheless, accountability cannot be a one-sided exercise. The Ahmed Aliyu administration must continue to provide reliable information on revenue, expenditure, project costs and implementation. Opposition parties, in turn, should interrogate such information through evidence based questions rather than general allegations. Equally, a demand for transparency does not exempt opposition politicians from accounting for their own records in public office.
This is where the difference between routine political criticism and credible opposition becomes apparent. A candidate seeking to govern Sokoto State must do more than demand financial disclosures. He must demonstrate an understanding of the state’s challenges, articulate practical alternatives, explain how his proposed policies would improve people’s lives and show why his experience in government makes him better prepared to lead. Voters deserve more than criticism of an incumbent. They deserve a clear and convincing alternative.
The 2027 general elections should offer the people of Sokoto an opportunity to compare records, examine promises and assess the credibility of competing visions for the state. Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s administration should be judged by its achievements, shortcomings and stewardship of public resources. Dan’Iya and other opposition candidates should be subjected to the same rigorous examination. No candidate should demand a standard of accountability from others that he is unwilling to accept for himself.
Ultimately, Sokoto’s future depends on a political culture in which facts take precedence over insinuations and public interest outweighs partisan advantage. Dan’Iya has every right to demand accountability from the present government, but he must equally be ready to account for his own years in public office.
The people deserve more than a political argument over revenue figures. They deserve a substantive debate about how public resources have been managed, what successive administrations have achieved and which candidate can offer the most credible path to better governance. Before asking the present government to account for its receipts, Dan’Iya must also be prepared to answer for his record.
Bello Shehu Tamaje writes from Sokoto
