The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has described allegations by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio that the 36 state governors received ₦30 billion each to cushion the effects of hardships in their respective states fake news.
Akpabio had stated that the 36 state governors received ₦30 billion each from the Federal government, to address the current hardships in their respective states.
“We believed that every state government should utilise the funds received towards ensuring that food is available in the country. So, the state governments have a lot to do. They are closer to the people and I do not want to mention local government because most of the local governments are controlled by the state governors.
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“My belief is that if the state government does what is needed, then the local government will be involved in sharing to make sure that these things get to the people. But we must not overlook the fact that Nigerians are not going to be interested in stories.
“Nigerians want to see action. Nigerians want to eat and we will provide food for them, there is no excuse. Despite what we met on the ground,” Akpabio had said.
However, responding to the allegations during the commissioning of Iseyin Central Mosque in Iseyin, Makinde questioned why Akpabio would make such a statement knowing well that it was “unverified information” (fake news).
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According to the governor, it is not feasible for the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to give money to any state, especially where the funds in the Federation account are not intended for distribution among the states.
The Governor stressed that this is a critical period for the government to instill confidence in the people rather than contributing to political tensions.