After Autonomy, 21 LG Chairmen Send Wives on Lavish Europe Trip, Nigerians React
- Adamawa residents and retirees condemn the Istanbul leadership trip for local government chairmen’s wives, calling it wasteful and unconstitutional
- Critics demand EFCC investigation as allegations of public fund misuse trail the foreign training programme bankrolled by council finances
- ALGON defends the decision, insisting the wives need leadership training to support their husbands despite lacking any formal public office
Public anger is rising in Adamawa State after revelations that the wives of the 21 local government chairmen were flown to Istanbul, Turkey, for what officials described as a leadership training programme.
The trip, reportedly funded from council finances through the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), has drawn sharp criticism from residents, retirees and governance advocates who consider it a misuse of scarce public resources.
Source: Facebook
Adamawa residents demand probe of Istanbul trip
Workers and pensioners say the decision is particularly insensitive at a time when many local councils struggle to pay salaries, pensions and basic project costs.
A 75-year-old retiree from Yola North, Abubakar Shehu, called the trip a “financial scandal” and demanded an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
“What is the leadership position of local government chairmen’s wives? Even the wife of the governor is not sent abroad for leadership training. This is nothing but corruption and a mockery of democracy in Adamawa State,” he said.
Another retired staff member, who requested anonymity, urged Governor Ahmadu Fintiri to call in anti-graft agencies to protect the image of his administration.
He questioned the rationale for sending women without official roles abroad for training, claiming some of the participants had no formal education.
ALGON defends foreign training amid public criticism
A serving council chairman from Northern Adamawa also distanced himself from the exercise, saying he was neither consulted nor informed before his wife’s name was submitted.
Source: Original
“I was sleeping when I got a call from one of the ALGON officials asking me to send my wife’s details for a visa. That was the first time I heard of such a project. This is simply an abuse of public funds,” he said.
Despite the criticism, the state chairman of ALGON and Toungo Local Government boss, Suleiman Toungo, defended the programme. He explained that the council chairmen had themselves attended a similar overseas course two months earlier.
“We did our training two months ago, so I do not see anything wrong in our wives going for training outside the country. They are our wives and we need their advice. We are looking at the importance of training them on leadership, not the cost,” he said.
Nigerians kick against 'lavish training"
Legal practitioners and civic groups insist the trip violates constitutional principles, noting that the wives of chairmen hold no recognised office.
Yola-based lawyer and governance advocate Barrister Pwamaddi Shagnar described the Istanbul programme as “a brazen squandering of taxpayers’ money” and demanded full disclosure of its funding source.
He warned that the controversy illustrates how local government autonomy, affirmed by a Supreme Court judgment in 2024, is being misused to finance “jamborees” instead of grassroots development.
The Istanbul trip adds to a growing list of expensive foreign excursions by public officials across Nigeria, many of which have yielded little measurable benefit.
Critics fear it could set a dangerous precedent for other councils now operating with greater financial independence.
Tears as prominent businesswoman killed
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that concerns were growing in Adamawa state over rising insecurity, particularly in rural areas where residents say their lives and property are increasingly under threat.
In Demsa Local Government Area, a woman identified as Mrs Goodness Isaac, a well-known trader, was killed on May 15, 2025. Police said she was murdered by a man named locally as Mr Abubakar Wanzan, a familiar face in the community.
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Source: Legit.ng
