Rising from a meeting that lasted about three hours in Ilorin, Kwara state capital, governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday cried out over dwindling allocation to states from the federation account, demanding an urgent meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan.
The governors present were the host, Abdulfatah Ahmed, Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe, Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, Raufu Aregbesola of Osun, Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo, Kashim Shettima of Borno, and Imo state Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, who is also the chairman of the Forum.
Those absent were Babatunde Fashola of Lagos, AbdulAzeez Yari of Zamfara, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nassarawa, Adams Oshiomhole of Edo, Aliyu Wammakko of Sokoto and Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun.
Addressing newsmen on the outcome of the crucial meeting, Okorocha stressed that the dwindling revenue had virtually made it difficult for most governors to pay workers’ salaries.
He warned that the federal government should not play politics with issues affecting the lives of Nigerians.
“We demand to have a meeting with Mr. President on this issue of dwindling resources. We hope the meeting would be met as quickly as possible,” he said.
Okorocha added: “We looked at the dwindling resources for states coming from FAAC as monthly allocation which has made it imperative that most states may not afford to pay salaries as a result of these dwindling resources.
“This has become a very serious concern to us as governors and we felt that issues that affect the lives of our people must never be politicised. We refuse to accept the fact that this nation is broke and thank God that the federal government has confirmed that the nation is not broke.
“If the nation is not broke, what is due to states should be given to states. This idea of cutting down what should go to states does not in any way promote democracy and democratic dividends. And so, we, as progressive governors do call on the federal government to look into the issue of dwindling resources and convince us as to why the states should not get what is due to them. We don’t know why our colleagues from the PDP side are not talking on this matter.
“But if they are not talking, it is either they are not affected or somehow they are getting something from the backdoor which we don’t know. And if that is not the reason, I think the President or the federal government should act quickly to quell the present ugly situation which this terrible condition of dwindling resources points out to us by making sure that the states get what is due to them at least to pay salaries of their workers”.
The governors also expressed their full support for a consensus option in choosing the APC presidential candidate and other candidates as long as it falls within the precinct of internal democracy.
“We, the APC governors, are in full support of the activities of our party and assure Nigeria that we shall provide for them a credible presidential candidate that will steer the ship of this nation in 2015,” Okorocha said.