Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has strongly criticized the United States government following a post by the U.S. Mission in Nigeria which condemned the lavish expenditures of some Nigerian governors amid the country’s ongoing economic challenges.
The U.S. Mission, in a post shared under its weekly #TransparencyTuesday campaign, had highlighted reports of state governors spending billions of naira on projects such as government houses, airports, and flyovers. The post contrasted this with the reality faced by many Nigerians, stating:
“While Nigerians are urged to endure economic hardship like labor pains, some governors are splurging billions on new government houses, airports, and flyovers that may not be necessary.”
In a swift reaction posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday, Fani-Kayode described the U.S. stance as hypocritical, asserting that the American government lacks the moral authority to lecture other nations on matters of transparency or governance.
The former minister, who has in recent times been an outspoken critic of U.S. foreign policy, particularly its support for Israel in the Gaza conflict, accused the United States of enabling violence through continued arms support.
“Whilst the children of Gaza are being slaughtered and starved, the American government is sending more and more weapons to Israel to assist them in committing genocide,” he wrote.
Fani-Kayode further alleged that the United States is exploiting the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine to launder money under the guise of military aid.
“Worse still, the American government is using the Ukraine-Russia war to launder money and make billions of dollars for its corrupt leaders,” he stated.
He also took aim at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), claiming that the agency has been used historically as a channel for funding corrupt practices across developing nations.
“And up until Trump came, the U.S. used USAID as a conduit to fund billions of dollars into and from various nations all over the world in order to corrupt and destroy them,” he alleged.
Fani-Kayode concluded his remarks by urging the U.S. government to address its internal issues before attempting to instruct other nations on governance.
“Before you give us lessons in governance, kindly drain your American swamp and clean up the mess you have put the world in,” he added.
