A dispute over the use of increased local government allocations has exposed growing political tensions in Kogi West, following allegations that the state Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Hon. Tosin Olokun, threatened to frustrate Senator Sunday Karimi’s campaign and arrest some of his supporters.
The controversy followed Karimi’s remarks that the increased revenue available to local governments after the removal of the petrol subsidy should translate into better living conditions for Nigerians.
Olokun, who also chairs Yagba West Local Government Council, was alleged to have declared “total war” against the senator during a meeting with All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters at his residence in Egbe, Karimi’s hometown.
Accounts attributed to participants at the meeting claimed that the council chairman threatened to make it difficult for Karimi to campaign across the seven local government areas in Kogi West ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He was also alleged to have compiled a list of political appointees sympathetic to the senator for possible removal from office and threatened to order the arrest of supporters accused of spreading what he described as unverified information about local government allocations.
The allegations have brought a critical question to the fore: should demands for transparency in the management of public funds become a source of political confrontation?
Karimi made his comments at a town hall meeting in Anyigba, Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency, where political stakeholders under the Win With Tinubu Shettima (WWTS) project were mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.
Responding to a question about the benefits of petrol subsidy removal, the senator acknowledged the economic hardship facing Nigerians but maintained that the savings from the policy should produce measurable improvements in citizens’ lives.
He also defended Tinubu’s efforts to strengthen local government administration, noting that statutory allocations to councils had increased significantly.
Karimi said an average local government in Kogi State now receives about ₦500 million monthly.
“We shouldn’t be blaming everything on the federal government. A lot of savings have been made from fuel subsidy removal. We need to follow the utilisation of it. If those savings are transformed into better living conditions for our people, that would be okay,” he said.
A member of the APC local government executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity, reportedly attended the meeting in Egbe, held shortly after the council election that returned Olokun for a second term.
The party official argued that Karimi’s remarks should not provoke hostility, insisting that his defence of the president’s policies and call for proper utilisation of public funds deserved consideration.
The official also challenged the ALGON chairman to explain how the increased allocations were being spent if, as Olokun reportedly claimed, the state government was not interfering with local government funds.
The dispute has generated reactions among residents and youths in the area. On Saturday evening, some youths reportedly took to the streets chanting pro-Karimi slogans and pledging to resist any attempt to intimidate the senator or his supporters.
A resident and businesswoman, Mrs Janet Igunnu, said public officials should be prepared to answer questions about the management of public resources.
“Democracy is about accountability to the people. Questions on how public funds are used are not an attack on any office, and the people of Kogi West deserve clear answers,” she said.
Beyond the political rivalry, the controversy raises questions about the relationship between increased public revenue, transparency and service delivery at the grassroots. If local governments are receiving larger allocations, residents have a legitimate interest in knowing how the money is being spent and what improvements it has delivered.
The allegations against Olokun have not been independently verified, and his response was not available in the account. The claims therefore remain allegations requiring clarification from the parties involved.
