Godswill Akpabio
By Our Reporter
Few days after the Governors of Oyo and Akwa Ibom States, Seyi Makinde and Umo Eno denied receiving the sum of N30 billion as palliative fund from the federal government, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has apologized to the 36 states governors over his statement that the governors were given N30 billon each to curb economic hardship on account of the removal of oil subsidy.
It would be recalled that Akpabio in plenary of Wednesday, February 21, 2024, during the presentation of a report of the joint Committees on Finance, Agriculture/Food Sufficiency, Banking and Insurance made the statement regarding the N30 billion given to each of the governors
During the session, the President of the Senate commented on the payment of an unverified cumulative sum of about N30b to the sub-national governments by the Federal Government for various interventions to ameliorate the food situation of our citizens at the sub-national governments.
Akpabio in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon Eseme Eyiboh, apologised and regretted the inconveniences his statement would have caused the governors.
“The unfortunate conjectures to take away the kernel in the material facts of FAAC payment are rather regretted”
“In considering the well-intended motive of urging state governments to collaborate with the Federal government of President Bola Tinubu to facilitate strategic interventions to mitigate the prevailing economic situation in the country remains the underpinning motivation in the comment”
“The President of the Senate is not oblivious to the fact that State governments are functional partners in all the efforts of the current administration of President Bola Tinubu and are also valuable Stakeholders’ in the various legislative engagements of the legislature in creating the nexus between the legislature and the people.
“The President of the Senate has always demonstrated commitment to team building and shall not do less in the circumstance.
“He, therefore, urges the sub-national governments not to be distracted by any misunderstanding of the context and true meaning of the statement.
The President of the Senate recognizes and appreciates the current efforts of the governors at ameliorating the adverse effects of the current inclement socio-economic environment and therefore invites more hands on the plow to complement the renewed hope agenda” said Eyiboh.
