Former Minister of Power and Steel, Elder Wole Oyelese, has criticised state governors across Nigeria for allegedly neglecting their constitutional duties while hiding behind the Federal Government to justify poor performance.
Oyelese, a two-time minister and senior chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), issued a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, warning that the growing disconnect between leaders and citizens could ignite a national crisis if not urgently addressed.
He lamented that despite receiving “substantial monthly allocations,” many governors continue to underperform while blaming President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Government for hardship in their states.
“With the huge financial resources available to the states today, no governor has any moral justification to complain about hardship or pass the buck to Abuja,” Oyelese said.
“It is hypocrisy of the highest order for leaders who sit on billions to tell their citizens that only the President can make life better.”
Describing some governors as “emperors in democracy,” the elder statesman accused them of ruling with arrogance and detachment from the people’s suffering.
“Across the states, we see public servants behaving like untouchable monarchs. They receive massive allocations yet have nothing to show. Instead of performance, they point fingers at the centre, pretending to be helpless,” he said.
“But the people are hungry, angry, and watching — their patience must not be mistaken for weakness.”
Oyelese further decried what he termed a moral collapse in public leadership, saying unchecked corruption, injustice, and indifference were pushing Nigeria toward instability.
“When thieves become kings and the law becomes their protector, a nation loses its soul. Nigeria cannot survive on selective courage,” he warned.
He urged leaders to act with conscience and integrity before “the anger of the poor turns into revolt.”
Calling for full administrative and financial autonomy for local governments, Oyelese stressed that genuine development could only be achieved when grassroots institutions are empowered.
“Local government autonomy is not a political favour — it is the lifeline of democracy. Once councils are free to function, development will reach every community, and hope will return to the people,” he said.
The former minister reminded state leaders that leadership is a “sacred trust, not a privilege for comfort,” urging humility, compassion, and accountability.
“Those who sit on the mountain of privilege must remember that when the base erupts, it swallows the peak. Power is fleeting, but humanity endures,” he cautioned.
