Senate President Godwin Akpabio had stated that all the 36 state governors in the state had received additional N30 billion from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to tackle the food scarcity situation in the country.
Peter Obi, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 presidential election, has called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to make public the details of the disbursement of N30 billion reportedly allocated to the state governors to address the high cost of food in their states.
Senate President Godwin Akpabio had stated that all the 36 state governors in the state had received additional N30 billion from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to tackle the food scarcity situation in the country.
The Senate President who said this during one of the plenary sessions of the federal lawmakers described the several protests held in some major cities in the country against rising hunger and hardship as sponsored by political stakeholders.
Akpabio added that the newly released funds for the state governors were different from their monthly allocation and urged them not to divert the funds to another use different from solving foodstuff scarcity.
However, Obi in a stated posted on his X handle on Friday said such support should be explained further for the public, so that the masses for whom the support is meant, can follow through and ensure that it is utilised appropriately to their benefit.
He said, “Recently, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio announced that a staggering financial support of N1.1 trillion, amounting to a sum of N30 billion each was doled out to the State Governors to help ameliorate the present hardship in the country.
“While the Federal Government is to be commended for offering such a huge support, considering the difficult times people are going through, it is pertinent, for the interest of good governance and transparency, that the details of the disbursement of such support be explained further, so that the public, the masses for whom the support is meant, can follow through and ensure that it is utilized appropriately to the benefit of the people.
“While waiting for such details, I appeal that concerted efforts should be made to ensure that the resources are genuinely and transparently invested in productive ventures to alleviate present hardship and help the future growth of the country.
“We must stop this unproductive habit of throwing scarce and borrowed money at immediate problems, and consumption, but rather through an articulated plan, invest aggressively in production, in a clear, visible, and transparent manner, in which people can see the future benefits.
“Now more than ever, our nation needs a clear and urgent move from consumption to production by prioritizing and investing in human development which will go towards providing a sure and lasting solution to many of our challenges of today.”
“That is the surest way to put us on a path of developmental growth. This is the spirit of the New Nigeria we are clamouring forfor,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, Oyo State Governor and Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Seyi Makinde, on Thursday, declared that there was no truth in the claim by Akpabio that states got an additional N30 billion each outside of their statutory revenue allocations, to address food insecurity in their states.
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Suleiman Olarenwaju in Ibadan, the state capital, said the state had not received any N30 billion from the FIRS or the Federal Government, and that his administration had been and would always be open and transparent to the people of the state.
The governor, who added that he had been doing everything to cushion the effects of the economic hardship on the people, warned that leaders should instill confidence and hope in the citizenry in this trying time rather than playing the blame game.
Makinde stated this in Iseyin where he inaugurated the newly-renovated multi-billion-naira Iseyin Central Mosque facilitated by a legal icon, Ahmed Raji, SAN.
The governor decried Akpabio’s reliance on unverified reports, clarifying that states couldn’t get funds from the FIRS, since all revenues go into the Federation Account and belong to the FG, states and local governments.
“The only fund that Oyo State got from the Federal Government outside of statutory allocation was N2 billion out of the N5 billion promised to all states in the wake of the removal of fuel subsidy, adding that the Federal Government had even been asking for the refund of the N2 billion,” he stated.
