Ngozi Okpala
The Peoples Democratic Party’s Governors Forum has expressed dismay over the contaminated fuel supplied Nigerians and called for investigation in order to bring the perpetrators to book.
This was contained in a communiqué issued by the forum at the end of its meeting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Monday.
Present at the meeting were Governors Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Bala Mohammed (Bauchi); Douye Diri (Bayelsa); Samuel Ortom (Benue); Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Godwin Obaseki (Edo); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Oluseyi Makinde (Oyo) and Nyesom Wike (Rivers).
Ikpeazu, the forum’s vice chairman, who read the communiqué to journalists, said the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government’s handling of the fuel subsidy regime smacked of duplicity and insincerity with its attendant bad administration.
He also stated that the figures of consumption bandied by the government appeared to be false and exaggerated.
The forum also decried the running of the Central Bank of Nigeria allegedly as an alternative government, saying the time had come for the streamlining of the apex bank.
The nine-point communiqué read, “The PDP Governors’ Forum held its regular meeting on Monday, February 14, 2022, at the Bayelsa State Government House, Yenagoa. The meeting reviewed once again the state of the nation, the readiness of the PDP to rescue the nation from the APC misrule.
“The PDP governors urged Mr President to immediately sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law. Waiting to run out the 30 days is yet another sign of unwillingness by Mr President to give Nigeria a reformed electoral framework. If there are still misgivings on any aspect of the bill, amendments may be introduced at a later stage.
“The governors congratulated the PDP for winning 43 out of 62 councillorship positions in the Abuja Area Council election just concluded. In spite of improvements in the conduct of elections, the Gwagwalada and Abuja Area Council results show that manipulations are still possible. They urged INEC to block all observed loopholes and further improve on the functioning of the BIVAS machine for future elections.
“The governors expressed their displeasure on the issue of contaminated fuel supplied to Nigerians and urged government to bring perpetrators to account.
“The governors frowned at the duplicity, inconsistency; insincerity of the APC- led Federal Government on the fuel subsidy regime, which has been badly and corruptly administered. The figures of consumption and ascribed to Nigerians appear fictitious and bloated. They called for proper investigation to be conducted on this matter.”
It added, “The forum welcomed the court decision on Police Trust Fund deductions from the Federation Account, a suit at the instance of Rivers State and urged the Federal Government to stop similar unconstitutional deductions from the Federation Account.
“In the same vein, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission should expedite action on the new revenue allocation formula in such a way as to increase allocation to states and local governments.
“The forum once again deplored the way and manner the CBN is being run as an alternate government, indeed, a government within a government. It is time to streamline its functions and processes to be constitutionally compliant.
“The forum once again decried the opaque nature of NNPC operations. It called for accountability and reconciliation of NNPC remittances into the federation account.
“As the National Assembly winds down this current phase of constitution review, the Forum urged that they revisit the issue of devolution of more powers to the states and local governments.”
Chidiogo asuke
