From Kenneth Udeh, Abuja
Governors of Rivers and Benue States, Nyesom Wike, and Samuel Ortom, have challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to expose governors responsible for stealing local government funds.
The governors who are part of the five Integrity Governors among the governors of the Peoples Democratic Party threw the challenge to the President on Friday during the inauguration of the Mgbuosimini Internal Roads in Rivers State. President Buhari had, in a speech at the presidential parley for members of the Senior Executive Course 44 (2022) of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) at the State House, declared that state governors stole allocations meant for local governments.
But, reacting to the allegation, Governor Wike denied ever taking funds meant for the local government since he assumed office as governor in 2015.
He challenged the president to name the governors that were doing that, as Buhari’s statement could be termed class defamation.
Wike said: “I want to challenge Mr. President, Mr. President you are a leader and we believe as leaders, you must come out and tell Nigerians, who are those committing this offence? You said the governors are taking local government funds, I want to say in the name of Almighty God, I have never touched local government funds one day. I have never and I have no reason to do that.
“So, Mr. President, who are those people? You know them, tell us. It is not good to say what you call class defamation, you say, governors, please I am not one of those governors. So, Mr. President, please, spare me, tell Nigerians that the Integrity Governors are not part of them, we have integrity, we are not part of them.” The governor added that as local government chairman under Governor Peter Odili, his funds were never touched by the governor and, therefore, he has no reason to tamper with any money meant for local governments as governor.
Similarly, Governor Ortom has also denied touching funds meant for local government, saying that their funds went to them directly from the Federation Account.
Ortom said: “It is a logical fallacy to say that all governors are criminals; all governors are stealing from local government. I join governor Wike to say, from 2015, let EFCC come, let ICPC come, let every other agency that can unearth this, as far as Benue State is concerned, let them bring it out, so that we know the people. There is no point generalising that all of us are evil people.
“I don’t do it, I didn’t like it when the Federal Government enacted something and said local government should have financial autonomy. But, from that day, all monies are paid to the local government, and no single naira has been paid through anyone, all monies that come from the Federation Account go straight to the individual councils.”