Just In: “Name Governors Stealing LGA Funds”, Wike, Ortom Dares Buhari
- President Muhammadu Buhari has been asked to reveal the identities of the governors stealing LG funds
- This call was made by Governor Nyesom Wike and Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state on Friday, December 2nd in Rivers state
- Governor Wike specifically noted that he has never taken funds meant for the local government since he assumed office as governor in 2015
A report by Daily Trust has it that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his Benue State counterpart, Samuel Ortom, have challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to name the governors he accused of stealing funds meant for local governments.
Buhari had in a speech at the parley with members of the Senior Executive Course 44 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), on Thursday, December 1st, said governors were stealing local government allocations.
Source: Facebook
The president said it beats anyone’s imagination how some state governors would collect money on behalf of council areas in their states, only to remit just half of such allocation to the council Chairman, who would further deplete the remittance in further pilfering of public resources.
“Speaking from personal experience, a Chief Executive of a state, a qualified lawyer, trained, the treatment of local governments, what they did, this is my personal experience. If the monies from the federal government to state governments is 100 million (naira), let’s put it at N100 million. N50 million will be sent to the chairman with a letter that he will sign that he received 100 million,” he had said.
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Wike, Ortom challenged Buhari
But speaking at the inauguration of the Mgbuosimini internal road project in Port Harcourt, Rivers capital, on Friday, December 2nd, Wike and Ortom challenged Buhari to name those he claimed were stealing local government funds.
Wike denied ever taking funds meant for local government areas since he became governor in 2015, adding that Buhari’s comment could be termed as defamation.
Nigerians react
Nigerians took to the Facebook page of Legit.ng to share their thought on the development.
Prince Aboh Emmanuel maintained:
"Even ortom .... God is really merciful."
Suleiman Mohammed said:
"This Wike is becoming my favorite Governor now ooo with his boldness and outspokenness."
Benjamin Moses noted:
"Waiting the pain me pass,, na when wike DAT have good record in his state the do ,,yeye ortom go the follow too."
Asagh Jnr stated:
"Our governor is indeed innocent.
"APC governor's are behind the scenes."
Emeka Chosen noted that:
"Ebonyi governor is among them all the A p c governors."
Meshach Ugwu queried:
"Is the hand of the federal government also clean, they should also ask."
Akeredolu Joseph urged:
"Wike should close his mouth, we are all aware of what is going on with the local government and the Governors."
BUCHI LAFZONEe said:
"Yes the federal government should expose the governors and also prosecute them."
Presidency releases details of refunds to oil-producing region, states that got largest share revealed
The Presidency has released details of oil derivation refunds made to Niger Delta/oil-producing states within two years (2021 and 2022).
Presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu shared the details in a statement released on Friday, December 2, amid the allegations that the funds had been misused by some governments in the region.
Recall that Governor Nyesom Wike said he got the money spent on multi-billion projects he has been commissioning in Rivers state from the refunds and challenged his colleagues to explain how they used theirs.
13% derivation refunds: Governor Wike challenges Okowa, others to show their projects
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike, attacked his counterpart in the Niger Delta region over the 13% derivation arrears that the Buhari administration paid.
Wike challenged the vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ifeanyi Okowa, and other governors in the Niger Delta region to commission projects for three weeks as he has done.
The PDP leader said rather than criticising President Buhari, the likes of Okowa, Godwin Obaseki of Edo, Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom, and Duoye Diri of Bayelsa should start commissioning projects like him.
Source: Legit.ng
