Nasarawa State, governor, Abdullahi Sule, has taken the recent nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests that began on August 1, 2024, should serve as a wake-up call for his colleagues across the country, particularly those in the North.
By Emma Ogbuehi
In a manner that spoke of reflection and introspection, Nasarawa State, governor, Abdullahi Sule, has taken the recent nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests that began on August 1, 2024, should serve as a wake-up call for his colleagues across the country, particularly those in the North.
The governor made the statement during an interview on Thursday evening on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Gov Sule described the protests as an eye-opener for governors to begin to do something, stressing that even if anyone is not doing anything, the agitation by the youths has offered them reasons do something, rather than pointing fingers at other people.
He said he was looking forward to the next meeting of the Northern Governors Forum to tell the members the truth on what needs to be done to uplift the zone.
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He added that the revenue accruing to the states had increased and, in some instances, has doubled since the inauguration of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
The governor said; “As a matter of fact, this protest that came, is an eye-opener, especially for my colleagues in the North. Even if anyone is not doing anything, this is the time to do something, because we can’t blame other people. I love the statement made by Shehu Sani (Senator), when he said to forget about the microscope and look at the mirror, and this is the time.
“For me, I can’t wait for next week or the week after, when we sit down as governors of Northern Nigeria, and tell each other the truth; we must do something. We have no reason not to do anything.”
On the issue of state governments failing to account for large allocations received from the Federal Governments, he assured Nigerians that governors were all working with the funds provided.
He argued that state and federal government revenues had improved under President Tinubu’s administration while commending the President for allowing the sharing of the funds to the states, and the FCT.
He said, “No state will say that their revenue has not actually multiplied by two, sometimes doubled. In the past, the total amount of revenue shared monthly was around N600bn to maybe about N620bn max, sometimes even slightly lower. Today, you see the total amount being shared, N1.1trn, N1.2trn and the rest of that.
“Every state, as well as the Federal Government, is receiving improved revenue; thanks to Mr President for allowing it to go like that.
“Because he would have said, ‘No, this is money meant for subsidy. Therefore, we are going to take it and divert it somewhere. No, but they are sharing it so that every state will go and do other things, and every state is doing.