Fact-Check: Records Contradict Wike’s Claim That Rivers Never Received Above ₦200bn in Any Year
A claim by former Rivers State Governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, that his administration never received more than ₦200 billion in any single year from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has been found to be inconsistent with verifiable public records.
Mr Wike made the assertion while speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he reflected on governance, public finance, and what he described as the excessive revenues currently available to state governors. According to him, the scale of funds being received by governors under the current administration has led to fiscal indiscipline and poor decision-making.
“Money can make you not see well—the kind of money the governors have now, we never saw it,” Mr Wike said. “In all my life as governor for eight years, I have never received from the federation account throughout one year more than ₦200 billion. Never. The records are there.”
He further argued that the post–fuel subsidy removal revenue windfall under President Bola Tinubu’s administration has created conditions for what he termed “fiscal recklessness” among some governors, insisting that money alone does not guarantee good governance.
The statement, however, comes at a time of heightened political tension in Rivers State, particularly between Mr Wike and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The relationship between both men has deteriorated significantly, triggering one of the most severe political crises in the state’s recent history. The crisis has included a split in the Rivers State House of Assembly, violent clashes, the burning of local government secretariats, failed presidential interventions, and reported loss of lives, including that of a security operative.
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Against this backdrop, Mr Wike’s comments have been widely interpreted as part of a broader political narrative aimed at contrasting his tenure with that of the current administration in the state.
An examination of FAAC allocation data compiled by BudgIT, a well-known civic technology and public finance transparency organisation, directly contradicts Mr Wike’s claim. The records show that while Rivers State did receive less than ₦200 billion annually in several years during his tenure, the state crossed that mark at least once.
According to BudgIT’s figures, Rivers State received approximately ₦169 billion in 2019, ₦149 billion in 2020, and ₦170 billion in 2021. However, in 2022—the last full year of Mr Wike’s administration—the state received about ₦293 billion from FAAC. In 2023, a transition year during which Mr Wike handed over to Governor Fubara, Rivers reportedly received around ₦339 billion.
The 2022 figure alone clearly exceeds the ₦200 billion ceiling Mr Wike claimed was never crossed during his eight years in office. These figures are based on official FAAC disbursements and are publicly accessible through independent budget-tracking platforms.
While it is true that Rivers State did not consistently receive over ₦200 billion annually throughout Mr Wike’s tenure, the categorical nature of his claim—that this never happened at any point—is not supported by the available data.
The issue is significant beyond partisan politics. Public discourse around governance, especially concerning revenue and expenditure, relies heavily on factual accuracy. When senior public officials make definitive claims about public finances, those statements shape public perception, inform political arguments, and influence trust in government.
In this case, Mr Wike’s assertion appears to understate the fiscal realities of his administration, particularly at a time when he is engaged in a political battle with his successor. Critics argue that such statements risk rewriting fiscal history to support present political objectives.
Verdict:
False. Verified FAAC records show that Rivers State received well above ₦200 billion in at least one year during Mr Wike’s tenure as governor, directly contradicting his claim.
In a political environment where public trust is already fragile, accuracy in financial claims remains critical. On this matter, the records are clear, and they do not align with the former governor’s assertion.