News Update

THE Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised local government chairmen in Adamawa State for sponsoring their wives on a foreign leadership training programme in Turkey.

‎Reports indicate that the wives of 21 local government chairmen, alongside senior officials from the Ministry of Local Government, travelled to Istanbul last week for what was described as a leadership exposure tour.

‎Suleiman Toungo, Chairman of Toungo LGA and head of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Adamawa, defended the trip, saying it was meant to equip the spouses with leadership skills to support their husbands in governance.

‎But in a statement on X, Obi described the trip as “a mockery of governance,” insisting that the estimated ₦600 million cost was a waste of scarce public funds.

‎According to him, the money could have been invested in improving basic education, providing classrooms, supporting teachers, or funding women-led businesses across the state.

‎“Local government funds belong to the people: the market woman, the farmer, the teacher, the pensioner, and every ordinary Nigerian who depends on government for basic amenities. Anything short of that is an abuse of office,” Obi stated.

‎While commending Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s efforts in infrastructure development in Yola, Obi stressed that Adamawa still requires urgent investment in education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation.

‎He argued that redirecting the same funds into women micro-credit schemes could have uplifted 6,000 women entrepreneurs across the 21 LGAs, or built about 30 classroom blocks for schoolchildren in the state.

‎The former Anambra governor called for prudent and people-centred governance at all levels, warning against the misuse of public resources on frivolities.