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Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has alleged that his state has been deliberately excluded from receiving significant palliative funds from the federal government, which he claims exceeded ₦500 billion disbursed to other states.
Lawal contends that the omission stems from his refusal to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), suggesting that party affiliation, not need, is driving the allocation of federal relief resources.
The governor, who leads Nigeria’s northwestern state under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says the exclusion not only undermines equitable governance but also fuels perceptions of political patronage in national decision‑making.
His comments deepen an existing debate about how federal palliatives, originally designed to cushion citizens from economic hardship, such as the impact of subsidy removal, are shared across the federation.
Federal allocations for palliatives have previously been controversial, with critics arguing that distribution mechanisms lack transparency and are subject to elite capture and political influence. Scholars and civil society groups have warned that without clear, accountable systems, palliative programmes risk reinforcing divisions and eroding trust in government institutions.
