By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Gusau
The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has challenged Governor Dauda Lawal to publish a detailed account of how his administration allegedly received and expended over one trillion naira from the federation account in less than three years.
The opposition party accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led government of attempting to “cover up gross financial mismanagement” by diverting attention rather than responding to probing questions on state finances.
According to the APC, the Lawal administration has failed to demonstrate transparency in the management of both federal allocations and internally generated revenue since taking office.
“The former banker, now chief executive, has evolved crooked means of subverting state resources in a way that no one can question,” the party alleged. “Instead, uninformed officials, especially information managers, resort to insults while defending what the government gets and how it claims to have utilised it.”
The party further berated the state government for what it called “needless attacks” on the immediate past governor and current Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Mohammed Matawalle, insisting that the PDP administration was avoiding a proper audit of its own finances.
“Matawalle provided all the information on how he ran his administration. But instead of interrogating those records, the PDP government chose to drag him into the gutter — and consistently fails,” the APC stated.
In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Malam Yusuf Idris Gusau, the APC said Matawalle, now a member of the Federal Executive Council, understands clearly how much money flows into Zamfara and how the current figures compare to what was available during his tenure.
“It is critical to note that when Matawalle recently queried what the Dauda Lawal administration has done with over one trillion naira released to it by the federal government, the government flared up. Instead of responding with facts, the Commissioner for Information, Mannir Haidara Dantawasa, attacked Matawalle and left the issues unaddressed,” the statement said.
The APC urged Governor Lawal to publish Zamfara State’s financial statements from 29 May 2023, including separate breakdowns of funds received by the state and the 14 local government councils.
It said the government must “justify every kobo” through verifiable project documentation, insisting that inflated contract sums and unexecuted projects would expose alleged massive diversion of public funds.
“One trillion naira does not even include donor funds, COVID-19 recovery funds, federal development levy support, the N10bn monthly security support fund, and the N20bn subsidy removal relief fund. Most citizens are not even aware of these inflows,” the statement added.
The APC also faulted the recent sack of over 3,000 civil servants by the state government, describing the move as “adding salt to the injury of banditry already ravaging the state.”
The party concluded by warning that if the government fails to publish its annual accounts as required by law, it will file a request under the Freedom of Information Act to compel the release of the financial records.