Alleged N30b Stimulus Package: Akpabio Corrects His Misstatement, Apologizes To State Governors
The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, a Barrister -at -law, has once again, gotten in the spotlight following the correction of his misstatement on Monday.
Recall that a certain development that was recorded during the plenary session of the senate on February 21,2024 , had exposed the state governors to criticism.
While giving his speech during the presentation of the report of the joint Committees on Finance, Agriculture/Food Sufficiency, Banking, and Insurance, Akpabio had accused state governors of collecting over N30 billion each as stimulus package sequel to the removal of petrol subsidy , its concomitant economic hardship and the high food prices .
Recall also that the President of the Senate had noted that information available to him showed that apart from the first tranche of funds given to the governors, an additional N30 billion were also made available to them through the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
The governors had however described the assertions made by the Senate President as incorrect while also lamenting the criticism it had exposed them to.
Team@orientactualmags.com learned that the Senate President has apologized to the state governors and also asked for forgiveness .
He was said to have done this via a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Hon Eseme Eyiboh .
It was also learned that he withdrew his statement after meeting with some state governors in Abuja. They were led by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara state.
A viral picture that was reportedly taken at the meeting had the Senate President posing for picture with Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Governor Abayomi Oyebanji of Ekiti state.
‘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 during the plenary session held on 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 N30b 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 regrettable. In considering the well-intended motive of urging state governments to collaborate with the federal government under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership 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 headed by 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.
The President of the Senate has always demonstrated commitment to team building and shall not do less in the circumstance. He therefore urges the sub-national governments not to be distracted by any misunderstanding of the context and true meaning of the statement.
The President of the Senate recognizes 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’ the statement said-Team@orientactualmags.com
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