….as stakeholders interrogate governors
Stskeholders in Niger Delta States ( not Rivers) are asking their governors to explain what they did with their own allocation of 13% percent derivation arrears paid to them by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike had in a live telecast program disclosed that his projects were being funded with the arrears of 13 percent derivation due to the states since 1999 and graciously approved by president to governors of the core states of the region.
The governor even went ahead to mention that the construction of 12 flyovers, Port Harcourt Law School Campus, Hospitals and roads among others were achieved through the said arrears.
But barely 24 hours Wike’s disclosure was made, it became a campaign material against underperforming State governors by rival party candidates and political parties.
On Saturday, at the All Progressives Congress Campaign Flag off in Warri, Delta State,Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo – Agege , Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomole and the presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu all lashed out at the Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa over failure to inform the people about the payment of the said arrears even as they observed that the projects embarked by the Okowa administration do not reflect the amount disclosed by the Rivers Governor .
. Subsequently,they urged Deltans to ask governor Okowa to explain what he used their money to do.
Similarly, the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District in the National Assembly,Obong Bassey Akpan said Wike’s disclosure has validated his exposition that Governor Udom Emmanuel received N280million from the Federal Government without accounting for it.
Akpan, the gubernatorial candidate of the Young Progressives Party YPP disclosed this during at ward campaign in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
The Senator regretted that despite the huge sums of money received by the governor, the state had nothing to boast about
“When I said he ( Udom) received N280billion, they said it was politics. They said I was interested in finance, yes I will need Akwa Ibom money to empower the people of Akwa Ibom State as the next Governor. Thank God for Governor Nyesom Wike.
” What Udom has received is enough to develop Itu and Ibuono. All the funds that were not paid to South South states from oil proceeds put together was $2.56 billion . The amount paid to Akwa Ibom was $1.1 billion ( N600 billion). Udom has received over N3 trillion. But there is nothing to show for it. Out of that money they asked me to come and receive billions and go back to the Senate. I told them I don’t want it “
Also a coalition identified as the Bayelsa Non-Governmental Organisations Forum (BANGOF), which is said to be an umbrella body of over 40 active NGOs in the state said they have written a letter to the Bayelsa State Government through the Commissioner of Finance to acquaint it of its procurement plan for projects in the state.
According to Dauseye Torki the coordinator the plan ” will help us to monitor the projects that are done in the state.
“We will also have the information on how much they are receiving every month and there will be a thorough analysis of what they have done.”
In the same vein, Chairman of Phase 2 of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Imoh Okoko has, called on the Federal Government to probe the usage of the funds, especially by Akwa Ibom state.
Okoko, who decried the living condition and the deplorable state of infrastructure in oil-producing local government areas of Eket, Ibeno, Eastern Obolo, Mbo, Ikot Abasi and Esit Eket, queried the state governor, Udom Emmanuel on what he used the money.
He said: “The oil-bearing areas in the state lack basic infrastructure such access roads, internal roads, hospitals, and potable drinking water, among others.
“I want the Federal Government, civil society groups, traditional rulers, stakeholders and the ordinary people to ask Governor Udom Emmanuel what he has been using the derivation money for.”
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The Itsekiri Liberation Group (ILG) also queried the Delta state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa saying he should account for Delta state’s share of the money.
Coordinator, Oris Mone, said the funds should reflect in massive developmental and infrastructural projects, as seen in Rivers.
Mone said “The only thing we can do is to call out our governor, Dr Okowa. We are asking him: ‘Where is our money?’ Is he saving it? Has it been looted? Has it been diverted for other purposes?”
In a related development,, a frontline rights activist in Bayelsa State identified as Kola Edokpayi was also reported to have said residents would no longer keep quiet but would demand accountability from the governor.
He said, “God bless Governor Wike for exposing the non-performing governors in the crude oil and gas-rich Niger Delta region, who collected huge derivation funds and arrears, but without any project on the ground to justify the monies.”
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