Politics

APC queries Gov Diri, demands to know how N21bn LG funds was disbursed

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…threatens to petition EFCC

The opposition All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State has threatened to drag the Governor Douye Diri-led administration before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the government’s handling of the sum of N21billion that accrued to the eight local government councils of the state from the withheld 13 per cent oil derivation refunds which President Muhammadu Buhari released to the oil-producing states.

The party, which vowed to also petition Diri to give an account of the over N100bn that the state received as its share of the withheld 13 per cent derivation fund, said that N3bn accrued to each of the local governments totalling N21bn under unelected council officials.
The state APC chairman, Dennis Otiotio, came up with these allegations while speaking at the Correspondents’ Forum of the Federated Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Bayelsa State Council, in Yenagoa on Tuesday.

He stated that alleged bad governance by the Diri administration had brought untold hardship on the people of the state despite the huge monthly revenue allocation from the Federation Account, including the 13 per cent oil derivation funds, in the past three years.

He said, “We are told that about N3 billion accrued to each of the local government areas of the state from money that was withheld from 13 per cent derivation, but we are aware that as we speak, there are no elected officials manning the local governments in the state because the governor is unable to conduct local government election.

“And since there are no elected officials at the local government councils, how did they manage this N3 billion? I hear they are sharing the money with candidates to go and do an election.

We are going to write to the EFCC to investigate that money; the money was given to the local governments.

“They (the state government) should explain to Bayelsans how they spent the money when there are no elected officials at the local governments.

“Coming to the state, they got over N100 billion from that 13 per cent refunds from the record we have seen.

Meanwhile, a month after they got the money, the governor went to the state Assembly with a loan request. Why are they collecting loans when they have over N100 billion from the Federal Government?”

The APC chieftain continued, “It is unfortunate that even the various transparency briefings they have been holding, they have not deemed it necessary to disclose that they have collected over N100 billion from the Federation Account.

That is the money that PDP led-Federal Government then withheld, but APC led-Federal Government released it to the PDP states and the governors unanimously concealed it, if not the revelation by Governor Nyesom Wike.

Governor Diri needs to give us a proper account of how the money was spent and stop this shady transparency briefing they are doing because it is clear that this transparency briefing is a farce. If at the time they did the transparency briefing, they did not inform Bayelsans that Federal Government has released the withheld money, but six months after, they came out because there was a revelation.

We can see that Governor Douye Diri’s administration has brought suffering to the people of Bayelsa State, our resources have been mismanaged, and the people cannot enjoy the dividends of democracy; the essence of governance is to create enabling environment for businesses to strive.”

But it would be recalled that Diri had on November 22, 2022, while receiving the Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Maj. Gen. Barry Ndiomu (retd), on a courtesy visit, explained that the 13 per cent oil derivation funds accruing to the state were being prudently spent, mostly on infrastructure development.

The governor also claimed in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, that his administration had nothing to hide and that the state’s monthly allocations from the Federation Account had always been made public through its monthly transparency briefings.

Tags: Federal Government, PDP, Bayelsa State, apc, Muhammadu Buhari, All Progressives Congress, EFCC

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Politics

Elections: We are not in any dialogue with Atiku-Obi/Datti PCC

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The Obi/Datti Presidential Campaign Council has debunked having any link with the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP concerning stepping down for him.

Recall that in an interview with the BBC Hausa service, Atiku Abubakar had claimed he was in talks with the presidential candidate of the Labour Party LP, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP to step down for him.

The PCC in a statement issued and signed by Diran Onifade Head of Media,
Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, the council denied having talks with Atiku.

In the statement, Onifade stated that:”We have been inundated with enquiries about the claim of an on-going discussion between our Presidential ticket and the camp of PDP’s Presidential Candidate,Atiku Abubakar.

“For emphasis, we wish to repeat, as we have said all day, that the claim is totally false and baseless. We are not in any talks with Atiku or anyone else with a view to stepping down from a race in which we are the frontrunner.

“Peter Obi is in the contest to win in consonance with the aspiration of majority of Nigerians who desire a New Nigeria devoid of lies, corruption and selfish scheming.

Tags: Peoples Democratic Party, Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, PDP, NNPP, Nigerians

Politics

I Wonder Why Tinubu Waited This Long To Say What We Have Been Saying On The Economy- Oby Ezekwesili

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Kayode Arewa Sanni

The former Minister of Education, Dr Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, has taken out her time to drag the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for recently speaking against the economy of the country, under this present administration.

While speaking, Oby Ezekwesili made it known that she listened to the lamentations of the APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the way his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC has run the economy of country.

Speaking further, the former education minister made it known that she wonders the reason why Bola Tinubu waited this long to say the same thing they have been saying on the economy all these while.

Since the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, came into power, over seven years ago, the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu never spoke against anything about this government, but as it stands now, the kind of statements he is making these days makes one wonder why he is saying all these things now.

Tags: education, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, APC presidential, presidential, Bola Tinubu, Minister

Politics

JUST IN: Gunmen Attack Gov Makinde During Campaign, Destroy Vehicles

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Information reaching naijablitznews.com indicates that the campaign train of Seyi Makinde, guber candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state, has been reportedly attacked by gun-wielding hoodlums.

Moses Alao, special assistant to the governor on print media, in a statement on Wednesday, said the attacks occurred on Tuesday at Igangan, Ibarapa north LGA of the state.

Alao said the governor had addressed a mammoth crowd at the Igangan town hall and was heading to Tapa when the incident occurred, adding that the governor’s convoy ran into a roadblock, where the hoodlums demanded money.

He said the hoodlums started pelting the convoy with sticks and stones and later shot at the vehicles.

“The attacks were premeditated and orchestrated by some opposition elements, who hired street urchins to waylay the convoy of the governor,” Alao said.

“This is with a view to giving the governor a bad image among the teeming population of Oyo state people.

“The unprovoked attacks were reprehensible, especially as the people of the state already know Makinde as a man of peace.

“As it has become the custom of the governor to acknowledge the cheers and love of the people and in turn distribute souvenirs wherever he went to campaign, Governor Makinde stood in an open-roof SUV while other members of the entourage were in his tow.

“Toward the exit of the town was a roadblock, which we now know was mounted by the thugs to halt the flow of traffic so that they would be able to perpetrate their dastardly act.

“Some group of boys started demanding money instead of the souvenirs being shared by the governor. Before anyone could say Jack Robinson, they started hauling stones, while some went in search of big sticks with which they were smashing vehicles indiscriminately.

“The urchins went directly after the SUV of Chief Tegbe, which showed a clearly premeditated motive, while others kept attacking other vehicles coming behind the governor.”

Alao said the JAC bus conveying the media aides of the governor, journalists, and other vehicles were damaged by the hoodlums.

“At some points, the hoodlums graduated from hurling stones by bringing out guns and shooting at vehicles in the convoy,” he said.

“We are sure that the same hoodlums went into the streets of Igangan to commit the wanton arson and destruction.

“While we sympathise with the families of individuals affected by the crisis, it is important to point out that Governor Makinde is a man of peace. And has made it clear that his ambition is not worth the blood of any Oyo state indigene.