Concern Governors Lament Over Lack Of Funds To APC State Only

Governors of All Progressives Congress, APC, controlled states, yesterday, complained about dwindling allocation to their states and wondered why their Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, colleagues were not sharing their concern.
The APC governors who met in Ilorin, Kwara State expressed concern about a possible secret funding for the PDP states. The governors, who vowed to meet President Goodluck Jonathan over the issue, also resolved to allow internal democracy to guide the selection of a presidential candidate for the party.

The summit of the APC governors under the aegis of the Progressive Governors Forum, PGF, in Illorin, however, did not rule out the adoption of a consensus presidential candidate, but insisted that it must be done within the ambit of internal democracy.

The meeting of the APC governors was also a valedictory session for former Governor Kayode Fayemi who stepped down as governor of Ekiti State last Thursday. The APC governors praised Fayemi for what they described as his exemplary strength of character.

At the meeting yesterday were Rochas Okorocha of Imo State; Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Ishaq Ajimobi (Oyo), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) who was the host and Dr. Fayemi.

Chairman of the PGF, Governor Okorocha, who briefed newsmen at the end of the session which lasted several hours, expressed concern over what he described as the dwindling monthly allocation to the APC states.

He said: “This issue has become a very serious concern to us as governors and we felt that issues that affect the lives of our people must never be politicised. We refuse to accept the fact that this nation is broke and thank God that the Federal Government has confirmed that the nation is not broke. If the nation is not broke, what is due to states should be given to states.

“This idea of cutting what should go to states does not in any way promote democracy and democratic dividends. And so, we as progressive governors, call on the Federal Government to look into the issue of dwindling resources and convince us why the states should not get what is due to them.

“We demand to have a meeting with the President on this issue of dwindling resources as quickly as possible,” he stressed.