Tinubu rents crowd to rally for him in Abuja besides Akpabio lying for him
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
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“We need to engage with our people. If our policies are not working, we need to listen to the people and amend them. So, if the number three citizen had nothing but an unverified report, why did he need to say it?
“Does his statement give confidence to the people or solve the problem of hunger and anger in the land? – Seyi Makinde, Oyo Governor
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Bola Tinubu on Friday rented a crowd to rally for him in Abuja, remaining in campaign mode – instead of truly governing – eight months after his inauguration as President, a job he is not doing well as manifested in escalating nationwide hunger, even with someone like Senate President Godswill Akpabio lying for him
Rented youths called the Nigeria Civil Society Forum (NCSF) massed in the capital city in support of Tinubu and his administration, a day after Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde refuted claim by Akpabio the federal government gave each of the 36 Governors N30 billion to tackle hunger Nigerians North and South are crying loud about.
“I must say that unverified report has it that each of the state governments in the last few months has received additional N30 billion from Federal Inland Revenue Service [FIRS] outside their normal allocations from the Federation Account to assist them in ameliorating the food situation,” Akpabio said on the Senate floor on Wednesday.
The propaganda came from the Villa to continue blaming others for Tinubu’s failings, and even Akpabio himself knew it was a lie when he amplified it because he said it was an “unverified report” – despite the tools at his disposal to verify it as the number 3 citizen.
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Makinde refutes Tinubu’s blame game through Akpabio
Makinde, who is also Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Vice Chairman, reacted to Akpabio’s lies on Thursday in a statement issued through his Chief Press Secretary Suleiman Olarenwaju.
Said he: “Yesterday, I saw the video and read in the news where the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, made a statement, though he said it was an unverified report, stating that the state governments received an additional N30 billion 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 the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, I know when things are happening.
“If I want to play politics, I will keep quiet and let this slide, but I am not going to let this slide.
“FIRS cannot give money to any state. It is not possible. All revenues accruing to the country go into the federation account and it is distributed to all tiers of government.
“The FG does not give states money. The money in the federation belongs to all of us; it does not only belong to the Federal Government.
“So, if the Senate President, who is the number three citizen in this country, could be quoting an unverified report, people are looking at us as leaders.
“This is the period that we are supposed to give confidence to our people. It is not the period to start playing politics or to start looking for scapegoats.
We need to listen to citizens and amend policies not working, says Makinde
“We need to engage with our people. If our policies are not working, we need to listen to the people and amend them. So, if the number three citizen had nothing but an unverified report, why did he need to say it?
“Does his statement give confidence to the people or solve the problem of hunger and anger in the land?
“Let me say it clearly, as for Oyo State and for most of my colleagues, there is nothing like N30 billion being given to states for food security and I stand to be challenged.
“Yes, the Federal Government promised the states N5 billion and out of that, it only gave N2 billion and they are even asking that the N2 billion should be refunded right now.
“It is the responsibility of the federal government to manage the fiscal situation in Nigeria and manage the inflationary trend we have in the country right now.”
Regardless, the placard-carrying youths converged on the Unity Fountain at the Business District Centre of the Federal Capital City as early as 9am adorned in white T-shirts and Fez-caps with the inscription “Jagaban is working”.
The organisers of the rally said their action was informed by the wrong narratives gaining ground about happenings in the country, insisting that Tinubu is on course with all his programmes and policies.