The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has claimed that, following President Bola Tinubu’s disclosure that the Federal Government has supported all state governments, and the FCT with N573 billion without any noticeable impact, there are “skeletons in the cupboards” of some state governors.
In a statement emailed to ASHENEWS on Wednesday, MURIC’s Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, insisted that some Nigerians are unfairly scapegoating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
“We have noted for quite some time now how Nigerians dissipate so much energy on confrontation with the Federal Government (FG) at the center while they ignore the state governments, thereby leaving the latter to do as they wish,” Akintola stated.
He cited the tripling of federal allocations to states without any corresponding development as an example of the lackadaisical approach to governance at the state level. He mentioned that state governors have collected more than N40 trillion in local government allocations, and efforts by civil society groups to hold governors accountable are being thwarted.
“After collecting monthly allocations and doing little or nothing with them, these same governors seize money meant for the local government councils and sit on it. The governors are amassing wealth at the expense of the hoi polloi while the citizenry blame FG. This is still going on despite the Supreme Court ruling that FG should pay the local government councils directly,” MURIC added.
ALSO READ Lawal takes over NSIPA as Tinubu makes fresh appointments [FULL LIST]
Akintola criticized the governor of Oyo State for reportedly requesting that FG should pay money meant for the local government councils into a joint account, which he described as an attempt to sidestep accountability. He also lamented the poor treatment of traditional rulers by state governors, who manipulate them for electoral support and punish them for perceived opposition.
“Most of our state governors cannot stomach perceived opposition, particularly from traditional rulers. It is totalitarian for governors to seek to control both the political structure and the traditional system,” Akintola said.
He highlighted how some state governors undermine federal efforts to alleviate poverty. For example, thousands of bags of rice sent as palliative were discovered hidden in Edo State. He also recalled that some lawmakers failed to account for Christmas palliatives given in December 2023, leaving citizens hungry.
“We must remember that some state governors are yet to pay the minimum wage of N30,000 and are owing salary arrears up to five months, including pensions. Why didn’t hunger protesters go there to shout ‘Hungry Dey’?” he asked.
Akintola commended a few state governors, such as Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, for their performance and dedication to their people. He acknowledged that Lagos does not owe its workers any wages.
“Those who assume that MURIC is just singing the praise of President Tinubu or FG and the Lagos State Government (LASG) to attract attention should remember that we are still at loggerheads with them over certain differences,” he clarified.
He urged Nigerians to shift their attention to the states and local government councils in their search for bad governance and to stop focusing solely on the federal government. “It is high time we stopped pressuring the center. We should stop scapegoating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima. There are so many skeletons in the cupboards of state governors,” Akintola concluded.
