N30bn gaffe: Akpabio recants, begs governors 

 

After a week of bashings from Governors and concerned Nigerians , the President of the Senate , Godswill Akpabio on Monday recanted his assertion that State Governors collected N30billion from President Bola Tinubu for provision of palliatives to people in their respective states .

Akpabio had in his remarks last week Wednesday during consideration of report presented to the Senate by its  joint  Committees on Finance, Agriculture/Food Sufficiency, Banking and Insurance on State of the Nation , said unverified report has it that each of the State Governors , collected N30billion to cushion effects of rising inflation in the country .

But few days after the claim by Akpabio some of the State Governors like Seyi Makinde of Oyo State , Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State etc , declared Akpabio’s claim as unfounded and wondered why somebody of his status , amplified an unverified report’.

Apparently overwhelmed by the bashings being received , Akpabio through his spokesperson , Hon Eseme Eyiboh , issued an apologetic statement on Monday night .

The statement reads : ” The office of the President of the Senate has been drawn to various misconceptions in the public domain on the statement credited to the President of the Senate in plenary of Wednesday, February 21, 2024.

” During the session the President of the Senate commented on the payment of an unverified cumulative sum of about #30b 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. 

“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”