The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has launched a scathing critique against Nigeria's state governors, accusing them of being 'blindfolded' by the influx of funds following the removal of the petrol subsidy.
'Money Can Make You Not See Well' - Wike's Stinging Rebuke
During his end-of-year media chat in Port Harcourt on Monday, December 29, 2025, Wike argued that the unprecedented financial allocations to states have clouded the judgment of many governors. He stated that the current financial windfall, which he never experienced during his eight-year tenure, is leading to costly mistakes.
'The kind of money the governors have now, we never saw it. That's why most of them make mistakes. They think everything is about money,' Wike declared, as monitored by Channels Television.
He drew a sharp contrast with his own time as Governor of Rivers State from 2015 to 2023, revealing a specific fiscal benchmark. 'In all my life, as governor for eight years in Rivers, I have never received from the Federation Account more than N200 billion in a year. The records are there,' he asserted.
The Trillion-Naira Budget Phenomenon Post-Subsidy
Wike directly linked the surge in state budgets to the subsidy policy change. He pointed out that the removal of the fuel subsidy has dramatically increased revenue available to state governments, enabling many to propose budgets exceeding one trillion naira—a scenario he implied was fostering fiscal irresponsibility.
'States are now making a budget of over a trillion because the removal of fuel subsidy has now made money available to the states, and so most of them are blindfolded,' the Minister explained, emphasizing the distorting effect of sudden wealth on governance priorities.
Public Reaction and Political Context
The Minister's comments sparked immediate reactions online, with Nigerians debating the real value of the allocations and the challenges of state management.
In the same media engagement, Wike addressed pressing political matters. He reaffirmed his loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), despite his well-known collaboration with President Bola Tinubu. He dismissed rumors of defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC), stating that political alignment does not necessitate a change in party membership.
On the issue of his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Wike stated that the Rivers State governor is free to defect to the APC without seeking his 'clearance.' However, he cautioned that such a move would not automatically translate to electoral victory in the 2027 polls.
Wike's remarks highlight a growing national conversation about fiscal federalism, the management of increased state revenues, and the complex interplay of money and political strategy in Nigeria's evolving democratic landscape.
