Governor Seyi Makinde, who spoke in Iseyin, Oyo state, described Akpabio's statement as a comment far from truth.
Godswill Akpabio, president of the Senate, has tendered an apology to the 36 governors over a “regretted” comment claiming N30 billion allowance was given to them to fight hardship in their respective states.
Speaking during a plenary on Tuesday, February 20, Oyo Defender recalls that Akpabio stated that each of the governor allegedly received N30bn each from the federation account to battle the effect of inflation and the high cost of living.
The statement, however, angered the governors, with Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state slamming the Senate president for “playing politics” with people’s predicament.
Makinde speaks for colleagues
Makinde, who spoke in Iseyin, described Akpabio’s statement as a comment far from truth.
“This is not the time to play politics, as we have real issues that deserve real solutions. But yesterday, I saw the video and read in the news where the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, made a statement, though he said it was an unverified report, stating that the state governments received an additional N30bn from the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, outside of our statutory allocation, in the last few months, to address food security.
“Please, listen to me loud and clear. I can speak for Oyo State and can also speak for any of my colleagues. This is because, as the Vice Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, I know when things are happening.”
In a statement released by his media office on Monday, February 26, Akpabio said the statement are regretted.
“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,” part of the statement released by Akpabio’s media adviser, Eseme Eyiboh, read.
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