Local government chairmen in Adamawa State have sparked public outrage after sponsoring their wives for a leadership training programme in Istanbul, Turkey. The 21 women, accompanied by senior officials from the state’s Ministry of Local Government, reportedly departed Nigeria last week for the trip.
Suleiman Toungo, chairman of Toungo LGA and head of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Adamawa, defended the initiative, insisting the training aims to equip their spouses with leadership skills. Toungo explained that council chairmen had undergone similar overseas training two months ago and argued that their wives’ participation would enable them to provide useful advice on governance. “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.
However, the explanation has done little to calm public anger. Workers, retirees, and civil society groups have described the trip as wasteful, especially at a time when many local government staff are still awaiting pensions and gratuities. A 75-year-old retiree from Yola North, Abubakar Shehu, condemned the trip, calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate what he described as a potential financial scandal. “Some of these wives did not even complete primary school, yet they are being flown to Istanbul in the name of leadership training,” he lamented.
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Other critics, including serving council chairmen who asked not to be named, accused ALGON officials of proceeding without consultation. One official said he was contacted about his wife’s participation without prior notice, calling it “an abuse of public funds.”
The controversy has also played out on social media, with Nigerians mocking the trip as a luxury vacation disguised as official training and questioning why leadership development could not be conducted locally, such as at Yankari Games Reserve or Obudu Cattle Ranch. Many commentators highlighted that Adamawa remains one of Nigeria’s poorest states, struggling with unpaid salaries and pensions, while officials divert resources to such ventures.
The backlash follows the Supreme Court ruling of July 11, 2024, which mandated direct payment of local government allocations from the federal government and barred governors from appointing caretaker committees. Critics argue that instead of prioritising local development, officials are exploiting new financial independence for personal benefit.
