By Divine Sam

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has renewed his call on the Presidency to address the substantive issues surrounding the alleged non-payment of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) dividends to states and local governments, insisting that the matter requires clear explanations rather than a diversion of attention.

The governor was reacting to comments by President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who challenged his claim that the Federal Government was withholding about N250 billion in NLNG dividends meant for the two tiers of government.

Makinde had alleged that the Federal Government was delaying the release of the funds until after the 2027 general elections, raising concerns about the distribution of revenue due to states and local governments.

He made the allegation while speaking at the 2027 Budget Stakeholders’ Consultative Engagement in Ibadan, where he disclosed that a reconciliation exercise involving the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the Federal Government had identified outstanding financial obligations relating to NLNG dividends.

According to the governor, the alleged delay in releasing the funds had political implications, particularly with the 2027 elections approaching.

However, Onanuga dismissed Makinde’s position, arguing that the N250 billion figure did not correspond with the history of dividend payments made by NLNG into the Federation Account.

In his response, Makinde maintained that his claims were based on available information and insisted that he would not make financial assertions without supporting evidence.

In a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the governor challenged the Presidency to address the outcome of the reconciliation exercise and explain how NLNG dividend payments had been distributed among the different tiers of government.

The statement read: “We have read the Presidency’s reply to Governor Seyi Makinde’s message about the Federal Government not giving NLNG dividends to states and local governments.

“The response sidestepped the central issue: the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), with the support of the Federal Government, hired a consultant to resolve the issue of NLNG dividend payments.

“The exercise found that there is a gap of around N9 trillion because of the states and local governments. The Federal Government accepted the findings. The report is still being held by both the Federal Government and the NGF.

“We believe the Presidency will not refuse to acknowledge its existence. Governor Makinde is the NGF’s incumbent Vice-Chairman. The Presidency said that NLNG has given $21.5 billion in dividends to the Federation Account since it started, which includes $3 billion that was received during the current leadership.

“But it didn’t explain how the money was given out. Have the states and local governments received their shares? How much money did they get, and what was the process for figuring out those amounts?

“What happened to the $3 billion that was received during this administration? Governor Makinde speaks in a respectful and proper manner and doesn’t say things that aren’t true or mention numbers without any proof.

“We are still prepared to give more explanations, and we ask the presidency to focus on the real issue at hand.”

The governor’s position places the spotlight on the transparency and accountability of revenue distribution, particularly the need to clarify whether states and local governments have received their rightful shares of NLNG dividends.

While the Presidency has questioned the figures cited by Makinde, the governor maintains that the reconciliation report and the distribution of the funds are the central issues that require answers.

The dispute has added another dimension to the ongoing political debate ahead of the 2027 general elections, with attention now turning to the relevant authorities for clarification on the alleged outstanding payments and the figures involved.