The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sokoto State has dismissed a demand by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Manir Dan Iya, for the state government to disclose its Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) receipts from 2023 to date, saying the figures are already in the public domain.
The party also challenged Dan Iya, a former deputy governor, to explain the achievements of the administration of former Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, in which he served.
The APC’s position was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by Abubakar Bawa, Director-General, Media and Publicity, Government House, Sokoto.
According to the party, allocations to states from the Federation Account are reported through official channels, making Dan Iya’s demand unnecessary.
The APC defended Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s administration, saying it had prioritised transparency and accountability through the public disclosure of State Executive Council decisions and project approvals.
It accused the previous administration of leaving behind unpaid pension gratuities, salary payment delays, outstanding debts and abandoned infrastructure projects despite receiving billions of naira in monthly allocations and other intervention funds.
The party claimed that when Aliyu assumed office in May 2023, educational institutions and the Government House were without electricity because of accumulated bills running into billions of naira.
It also said the state inherited more than N5 billion in outstanding student registration and tuition fees in Nigeria and abroad, as well as unpaid sabbatical allowances for visiting lecturers. The APC maintained that the current administration had cleared these liabilities.
On workers’ welfare, the party said the government had implemented the new minimum wage across state and local government services, including Local Government Education Authority staff.
It added that the administration had recruited 3,100 workers for various ministries, departments and agencies, 2,400 health workers and 1,550 personnel for the Sokoto Marshall initiative.
The APC also cited projects in roads, education, healthcare, water supply and rural development as evidence of the administration’s performance.
It further said projects abandoned under the previous government, including the Rijiya Flyover and Tashar Illela Road, had either been completed or were at various stages of completion.
The party said it would seek re-election based on its record, urging Dan Iya to explain what the Tambuwal administration achieved to justify another opportunity to govern the state.
The statement also accused the previous government of mismanaging public resources and failing to adequately address infrastructure, social services and security challenges.
Dan Iya’s response to the APC’s allegations was not included in the statement.
