El-Rufai calls for 80% revenue allocation to states

Speaking at a policy and book presentation in Abuja on Tuesday, May 09, 2023, the Governor proposed a reversal of the current formula to allocate 80% of revenue to states and 20% to the federal government.

He argued that such a shift would allow the federal government to relinquish many of its current responsibilities to the states, providing citizens with greater accountability.

El-Rufai highlighted the importance of citizens holding their governors accountable, stating that the proposed formula would allow for this by reverting to the 1963 Constitution, where most of the functions went to the states, and the federal government had limited functions.

Under the new formula, states would have sufficient resources to compete, similar to the days of regional governments.

In addition, the Governor noted that the proposed formula would allow for citizens to hold their governors responsible for the functionality of public institutions such as general hospitals, primary schools, and secondary schools.

El-Rufai emphasised that with 80% of revenue allocated to states, citizens would have greater leverage to demand accountability from their governors and ultimately drive positive change.