Governors trade words with the Federal Government

The Nigerian Governors Forum has responded to the federal government’s claim that governors in the country are to blame for the high level of poverty in Nigeria. 

What’s their response? 

The governors said that the impact of insecurity on trade and agriculture was to blame for the rising rate of poverty among Nigerians. Additionally, they claimed that by doing nothing, the federal government had allowed “bandits, insurgents, and kidnappers to turn the country into a killing field.” The forum made the case that the governors had successfully initiated important projects in each of their states, and cannot be blamed for the obvious shortcomings of the federal government. The governor of Ondo state, Rotimi Akeredolu, also dismissed president Buhari’s claim on how governors steal funds meant for local governments. 

What’s there to dismiss? 

Akeredolu denied tampering with funds meant for the local government areas in the state. The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, in a statement on Saturday said that since assuming office, Akeredolu and his administration have not touched funds allocated to the state’s local governments. “As a matter of policy, monies meant for local governments are shared at their monthly Joint Account Allocation Committee. Mr. Governor doesn’t touch local government funds. The local government chairmen can attest to the fact that they have total freedom in the management of their funds”, the statement read.