The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has issued an apology to state governors for his comments regarding the alleged N30 billion hardship allowance given to them.
During a recent plenary session, Akpabio mentioned an “unverified report” suggesting that state governors received N30bn each from the Federation Account to help with inflation and high food prices.
Last September, the Federal Government stated that N2bn was given to governors as part of a N5bn loan to assist with the removal of fuel subsidy.
In response to the Senate President, governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State denied receiving such funds.
Makinde said, “This is not the time to play politics, as we have real issues that deserve real solutions. But yesterday, I saw the video and read in the news where the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, made a statement, though he said it was an unverified report, stating that the state governments received an additional N30bn from the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, outside of our statutory allocation, in the last few months, to address food security.
“Please, listen to me loud and clear. I can speak for Oyo State and can also speak for any of my colleagues. This is because, as the Vice Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, I know when things are happening.”
On Monday evening, Akpabio apologized to the governor in a statement released by his media adviser, Eseme Eyiboh. He expressed his respect for the governors.
He said, “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 the plenary of Wednesday, February 21, 2024, during the presentation of a report of the joint Committees on Finance, Agriculture/Food Sufficiency, Banking and Insurance.
“During the session, the President of the Senate commented on the payment of an unverified cumulative sum of about N30bn 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.
“The President of the Senate is not oblivious to the fact that state governments are functional partners in all the efforts of the current administration of President Bola Tinubu and are also valuable stakeholders’ in the various legislative engagements of the legislature in creating the nexus between the legislature and the people.”
Eyiboh stated that Akpabio has consistently shown dedication to building a team and will continue to do so.
He encouraged local governments to not be sidetracked by any misinterpretation of the statement’s context and true intention.
He added, “The President of the Senate recognises and appreciates the current efforts of the governors at ameliorating the adverse effects of the current inclement socio-economic environment and therefore invites more hands on the plow to complement the renewed hope agenda.”
