By Francis Sadhere, Warri
Dr. Michael Tidi, a former senior staff member of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), has faulted allegations that the Delta State Government owes the commission ₦277.73 billion in statutory funds, describing the figure as a calculation that cannot, by itself, establish a legal debt.
Tidi, who made his position known in reaction to a statement by Swill Mavua on DESOPADEC and derivation funds, said concerns by oil-producing communities over development, accountability and the utilisation of resources meant for them were legitimate and deserved serious attention.
He, however, cautioned against presenting political allegations as established facts, stressing that questions surrounding public funds must be addressed through the relevant laws, accounting records and evidence.
According to him, the claim that ₦277.73 billion was “statutorily due” to DESOPADEC appeared to have been arrived at by applying 50 per cent to derivation receipts attributed to Delta State.
He argued that such a calculation did not automatically translate into a statutory obligation.
“A calculator can produce a figure; it cannot interpret a statute,” Tidi said, stressing that appropriation, release, transfer and expenditure were distinct concepts that must not be treated interchangeably.
He maintained that the enabling law, the precise derivation figures and the applicable accounting treatment would have to be established before any amount could legitimately be described as money unlawfully withheld from DESOPADEC.
Tidi also rejected the claim that there was no budgetary provision for DESOPADEC under the present administration, citing official Delta State budget documents.
He said the records showed a ₦40 billion provision for DESOPADEC in 2024, ₦65 billion in the approved 2025 budget and ₦80 billion in the approved 2026 budget.
He added that the state’s first-quarter 2025 budget performance report recorded ₦5.5988 billion in expenditure against the ₦65 billion DESOPADEC provision.
“Whatever legitimate debate there may be about adequacy, releases, implementation or outcomes, the claim that there was simply ‘no budget line’ cannot survive the published record,” he said.
On allegations of secrecy, Tidi said transparency in public finance should be assessed on the basis of the availability, timeliness and comprehensiveness of financial information, as well as public participation and oversight.
He noted that the Delta State Government had continued to publish annual budgets, appropriation documents and budget performance reports, adding that DESOPADEC’s budgetary provisions and expenditure formed part of the state’s public financial framework.
He, however, acknowledged that the availability of such documents did not mean every question concerning DESOPADEC had been answered.
Tidi also dismissed the suggestion that the payment of ₦8.4 billion to settle inherited contractor liabilities amounted to an admission of wrongdoing by the current administration.
He argued that settling an inherited obligation did not mean that the administration that made the payment had created the liability or violated the law.
“If the contracts were irregular, the evidence should establish that. If the liabilities were fraudulent, the evidence should establish that. But inherited debt does not become a confession merely because a subsequent administration pays it,” he said.
The former DESOPADEC staff member further rejected the description of the commission as a “political settlement centre,” saying such a serious allegation should be backed by evidence of unlawful appointments, procurement violations, diversion of resources or abandonment of statutory responsibilities.
He said complaints from groups such as the Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM), Itsekiri leaders, monarchs and other stakeholders should be heard, but cautioned that stakeholder complaints should not be presented as equivalent to audit reports or judicial findings.
Tidi, who also served as a media aide to former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and later as a local government chairman, said his intervention was based on his institutional experience and professional knowledge of law, economics and public policy.
He said his political affiliation as a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State was not the basis of his position, insisting that he would make the same argument irrespective of the political party controlling the state government.
He also criticised attempts to frame the relationship between Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and former Governor Okowa as a “godfather-godson” arrangement.
According to him, the description adds unnecessary political colour to issues that should principally be examined from the perspectives of law, public finance and development.
Tidi said DESOPADEC had existed across successive administrations and that its institutional challenges could not be reduced to the tenure or political relationship of individual governors.
He further warned that the approach to the DESOPADEC debate could become more politically charged as the 2027 general elections draw closer.
He urged political actors and stakeholders to maintain factual discipline and ensure that legitimate concerns of oil-producing communities were not turned into campaign ammunition.
“Oil producing communities deserve development, justice and accountability. But they also deserve advocacy that respects evidence,” he said.
“DESOPADEC is too important to be reduced to campaign arithmetic, and the legitimate expectations of oil producing communities are too serious to be turned into political ammunition.”
Tidi concluded that the opposition had the right to ask questions but should not manufacture answers, stressing that “a calculation is not a debt, an inherited liability is not a confession, a complaint is not an audit finding, and a published budget cannot honestly be described as no budget.”
Dr. Michael Tidi, a former senior staff member of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), has faulted allegations that the Delta State Government owes the commission ₦277.73 billion in statutory funds, describing the figure as a calculation that cannot, by itself, establish a legal debt.
Tidi, who made his position known in reaction to a statement by Swill Mavua on DESOPADEC and derivation funds, said concerns by oil-producing communities over development, accountability and the utilisation of resources meant for them were legitimate and deserved serious attention.
He, however, cautioned against presenting political allegations as established facts, stressing that questions surrounding public funds must be addressed through the relevant laws, accounting records and evidence.
According to him, the claim that ₦277.73 billion was “statutorily due” to DESOPADEC appeared to have been arrived at by applying 50 per cent to derivation receipts attributed to Delta State.
He argued that such a calculation did not automatically translate into a statutory obligation.
“A calculator can produce a figure; it cannot interpret a statute,” Tidi said, stressing that appropriation, release, transfer and expenditure were distinct concepts that must not be treated interchangeably.
He maintained that the enabling law, the precise derivation figures and the applicable accounting treatment would have to be established before any amount could legitimately be described as money unlawfully withheld from DESOPADEC.
Tidi also rejected the claim that there was no budgetary provision for DESOPADEC under the present administration, citing official Delta State budget documents.
He said the records showed a ₦40 billion provision for DESOPADEC in 2024, ₦65 billion in the approved 2025 budget and ₦80 billion in the approved 2026 budget.
He added that the state’s first-quarter 2025 budget performance report recorded ₦5.5988 billion in expenditure against the ₦65 billion DESOPADEC provision.
“Whatever legitimate debate there may be about adequacy, releases, implementation or outcomes, the claim that there was simply ‘no budget line’ cannot survive the published record,” he said.
On allegations of secrecy, Tidi said transparency in public finance should be assessed on the basis of the availability, timeliness and comprehensiveness of financial information, as well as public participation and oversight.
He noted that the Delta State Government had continued to publish annual budgets, appropriation documents and budget performance reports, adding that DESOPADEC’s budgetary provisions and expenditure formed part of the state’s public financial framework.
He, however, acknowledged that the availability of such documents did not mean every question concerning DESOPADEC had been answered.
Tidi also dismissed the suggestion that the payment of ₦8.4 billion to settle inherited contractor liabilities amounted to an admission of wrongdoing by the current administration.
He argued that settling an inherited obligation did not mean that the administration that made the payment had created the liability or violated the law.
“If the contracts were irregular, the evidence should establish that. If the liabilities were fraudulent, the evidence should establish that. But inherited debt does not become a confession merely because a subsequent administration pays it,” he said.
The former DESOPADEC staff member further rejected the description of the commission as a “political settlement centre,” saying such a serious allegation should be backed by evidence of unlawful appointments, procurement violations, diversion of resources or abandonment of statutory responsibilities.
He said complaints from groups such as the Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM), Itsekiri leaders, monarchs and other stakeholders should be heard, but cautioned that stakeholder complaints should not be presented as equivalent to audit reports or judicial findings.
Tidi, who also served as a media aide to former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and later as a local government chairman, said his intervention was based on his institutional experience and professional knowledge of law, economics and public policy.
He said his political affiliation as a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State was not the basis of his position, insisting that he would make the same argument irrespective of the political party controlling the state government.
He also criticised attempts to frame the relationship between Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and former Governor Okowa as a “godfather-godson” arrangement.
According to him, the description adds unnecessary political colour to issues that should principally be examined from the perspectives of law, public finance and development.
Tidi said DESOPADEC had existed across successive administrations and that its institutional challenges could not be reduced to the tenure or political relationship of individual governors.
He further warned that the approach to the DESOPADEC debate could become more politically charged as the 2027 general elections draw closer.
He urged political actors and stakeholders to maintain factual discipline and ensure that legitimate concerns of oil-producing communities were not turned into campaign ammunition.
“Oil producing communities deserve development, justice and accountability. But they also deserve advocacy that respects evidence,” he said.
“DESOPADEC is too important to be reduced to campaign arithmetic, and the legitimate expectations of oil producing communities are too serious to be turned into political ammunition.”
Tidi concluded that the opposition had the right to ask questions but should not manufacture answers, stressing that “a calculation is not a debt, an inherited liability is not a confession, a complaint is not an audit finding, and a published budget cannot honestly be described as no budget.”
