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Hardship: Akwa Ibom Governor Debunks Senate President Akpabio’s N30billion Palliative Claim, Says He May Be Speaking In Prophecy
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has said that Senate President, Godswill Akpabio’s claim that the federal government has given the 36 states of the federation N30billion for palliative to cushion the hardship in the country is a prophecy that he prays will come to pass.
Governor Eno, who said while addressing journalists on Saturday said that the federal government only gave state governments N2billion for palliative, and in turn, wrote to state governments that the N2billion was a loan and should be refunded.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on thursday, countered Akpabio’s claim, saying that the federal government did not give N30 billion to the state government as claimed by the federal lawmaker.
Senator Akpabio had on Wednesday, said that all the 36 state governors in the state received additional N30 billion from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to tackle the food scarcity situation in the country.
The Senate President who had said this during one of the plenary sessions of the federal lawmakers described the several protests held in some major cities in the country against rising hunger and hardship as sponsored by political stakeholders.
He had added that the newly released funds for the state governors are different from their monthly allocation and urged them not to divert the funds for another course different from solving foodstuff scarcity.
On Saturday, Governor Eno said, “We are in a time where people want to be relevant, and they feel that being relevant is to incite the public, tell lies against the government.
“I know no civil society behaves like that. You have to understand how civil society in other climes work and try to balance information.
“The allocation to governments is managed by the state Ministry of Finance. There is a budget and there is always a published account. I would have asked that he wait, let the account be published, then he can ask questions, rather than raise false alarm.”
Speaking further, Governor Eno said that “On the palliative, thank God he was on the palliative committee. The money that the Federal Government gave to me or to the state, and indeed, to all states, was N2 billion, even though the federal government said it was N5 billion. We are yet to receive the balance of N3 billion.
“Even the N2 billion, the federal government has written to us that it has to be refunded. If we refund the money that was generally believed to be funds that was given to the state, it means that it is the state that did the palliative.
“Beyond the N2 billion, we spent over N5 billion, even when you add the salaries that we paid for three months, we spent over that.
“On the one that states have been given N30 billion for palliative, I think it is a prophecy, and I pray the prophecy will come to pass.
“We are in the state and people are there in Abuja. Maybe there is a plan like that. So, I join in praying that it should come. It will help us a lot. But as I stand here today, we have not received more than N2 billion from the federal government on palliative, and we are made to understand that it was a loan.”
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LET THE CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE BE*
The hurriedly written press statement by the embattled Patrick Osadebamwen and OCHIAKA UGWU recently impeached as Exco of the FCT Council of the NUJ is really sad, appalling and completely unwarranted.
It is a brazen attempt by them to usurp the powers of the National Secretariat of the Union.
Article 5(9c, d) of the NUJ Constitution is so unambiguous that does not need any interpretation.
Article 5 sub section 9(C) states inter alia; “The Credentials Committee at the National level shall act independently of the President, National Secretary and any other National Officers, while the Credentials Committee at the State Council level shall be independent of State officers of the Union but shall be responsible and answerable to the National Secretariat.
5 (9d) The Credentials Committee at the State Council level shall be nominated by the State Congress subject to the approval of the National Secretariat.”
From the constitutional provisions, it is clear that the Committee is not in any materia particula answerable to any ‘Executive’ Committee member of the Council but the National Secretariat. And not to the already impeached Patrick-led Exco.
It is more worrisome that this so-called cut and join chairman is oblivious of the constitution he swore to defend. What do you expect of a place -holder chairman?
More importantly, since the National Secretariat has communicated with the Committee to go ahead with its mandate, the outgoing ‘Executive’ Committee has no locus standi in the matter whatsoever.
It is also an irony to note that the outgoing Chairman and Secretary could shamelessly claim that our respected former Chairman of Council, Mr AMOS DUNIA took over proceedings of the Extraordinary Congress. Both officers are obviously having selective amnesia. It’s appears they forgot how they came cap-in-hand to beg former leaders to come to their rescue. What can be farther than the truth. Whereas, members were told at the beginning of the Monday Extraordinary Congress that the Committee of elders and former Chairmen of Council, mandated MR. DUNIA to conduct the affairs of the Congress following the VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE passed on the Patrick Osadebamwen-led Executive by the Congress the preceding Saturday.
It is really shameful that an Executive that was saved from being disgraced and booted out of office can still have the temerity to openly and outrightly dish out tissues of lies to the public. What a shame!
The question to ask remains, if Patrick Osadebamwen and OCHIAKA UGWU who has indicated interest in contesting the election, now want to act and take decisions on behalf of the National Secretariat.
Members are aware of the antics and game being played to cover up shady deals perpetrated these past six years and we are watching.
We say NO to the attempt to usurp the constitutional role of the National Secretariat by Patrick Osadebamwen and OCHIAKA UGWU.
Enough is enough!
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