The Chairman of Yagba West Local Government Council, Hon. Tosin Olokun, is in the news over an alleged threat to make it difficult for the Senator representing Kogi West, Sunday Karimi, to campaign across the seven local government areas of the district. The alleged threat follows the Senator’s remarks on the monthly allocations to local councils.
Speaking during a town hall meeting in Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency held at Anyigba, Kogi State, where political stakeholders under the aegis of Win With Tinubu Shetimma (WWTS) project mobilised support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid, Senator Karimi acknowledged the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians but argued that the savings from the removal of the fuel subsidy should be reflected in better living conditions for citizens, if properly utilised.
Karimi, who was responding to a question on the usefulness of the savings from petroleum subsidy removal, Senator Karimi defended President Bola Tinubu’s performance, particularly his bold move to strengthen governance at the third tier of government.
He said the policy had brought a significant increase in monthly statutory allocations from the Federation Account to states and local governments. As a result, he said, an average local government in Kogi State now receives about ₦500 million per month.
“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,” Karimi added.
Olokun, who is also Chairman of the Kogi State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), was said to have addressed APC supporters at his residence in Egbe, also the Senator’s hometown. There, he was alleged to have declared “total war” on the APC senatorial candidate.
According to those present, he said he had compiled a list of political appointees sympathetic to Senator Karimi for removal from office. He was also quoted as echoing the position of Governor Usman Ododo that the Senator must not win a single local government in the senatorial election, for questioning the use of local government funds.
The ALGON Chairman was further quoted as threatening to order the arrest of supporters of the Senator who spread what he called unverified information on local government allocations.
A highly placed member of the APC local government executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was present at the meeting, held immediately after the council election that returned Olokun for a second term. He cautioned that the Senator’s defence of President Tinubu’s subsidy removal and the increase in allocations deserved commendation, not resentment from any council chairman.
He added that if the State Government is not touching local government money, as Olokun claims, then the ALGON Chairman owes the people an explanation of how the monthly allocations to the councils are being used.
The alleged declaration has caused fresh tension in the area. On Saturday evening, youths took to the streets chanting pro-Karimi slogans and vowed to defend their Senator against any intimidation, as campaigns for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
“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”, stated Mrs Janet Igunnu, a resident and businesswoman.
However, reacting to the allegations, Olokun through his CPS, Mr Sunday Adeyemi, said: “The allegation is false, misleading and a mischievous attempt to create unnecessary tension.
“Hon. Tosin Olokun is a democrat in every sense of the word and did not make the alleged threats”.
“The allegation appears to be an attempt by the Senator’s camp to garner public sympathy. We urge the public to disregard these unfounded claims,” Adeyemi said.
