Barely twenty-four hours after the meeting of the Southern Governors Forum in Lagos, a group within the All Progressives Congress has adjudged the present administration as the best the nation had experienced in terms of warm relationship between all tiers of government, since the return of democracy in 1999.
Despite the reservations of the Presidency, the southern governors as part of their communique signed by the Ondo State governor resolved to commence enforcement of the law against open grazing effective from September 1, 2021.
The governors who raised serious objection to the operation of the Department of the Security Services against its operation at the residence of a Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Igboho called on security agencies not to keep governors in the dark about such operations in the future as they noted that they are the Chief Security Officers in their respective states.
The Legacy Awarenesses Group in a statement entitled, ‘A Break with Toxic Past,” signed by the former national publicity secretary of the party, Lanre Issa-Onilu and Director General of the APC Governors Forum, Mr Salihu Mohammmed Lukman recalled the gale of impeachments of governors and withholding of Lagos State funds under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration and the polarisation of the Nigeria Governors Forum under the Goodluck Jonathan government.
The group, however, noted that governors across parties divide have been having a warm relationship with the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
The group listed the bailout funds for states, the Paris Fund Club refund and social infrastructures which it further noted were equally distributed across states as fundamental departures from the hostility that existed between federal and state governments in previous administrations.
The statement read in part: “President Buhari has been elected twice on the platform of the APC, but he has consistently demonstrated that he is a politician for all of Nigeria, regardless of political or regional affiliation.
“All of the administration’s policies and programs have been made available for all state governments to take advantage of, and benefit from, for the benefit of all of the people of Nigeria.
“The bailout programs of the Federal Government – including more than 600 billion Naira in Budget Support, and 575 billion Naira in commercial loans restructuring – that helped the states through the recession of 2016 and its immediate aftermath, were extended to all interested states in the country irrespective of partisan differences.
“The President has approved trillions of Naira in vital Refunds to state governments, since 2015. These include more than $5 Billion in Paris Club Refunds, owed since 2006, and 700 Billion Naira in Refunds for construction work carried out by state governments on Federal roads.
“In the case of the latter, the highest benefiting state was Rivers State, receiving more than 10per cent of the entire amount disbursed to all the States. The State Government has since acknowledged receipt of the funds.
“That these actions can now be taken for granted demonstrate just how much President Buhari has done to restore normalcy to the dealings between the tiers of Government.
“Governors have often testified to the support they have received from the President and his administration, and his willingness to listen to them and find ways to help them achieve their governance agendas for their States.
“Every state in Nigeria has benefited from the landmark programmes of the APC-led Federal Government, in infrastructure, social investment, agriculture and other areas. The President’s only concern is the welfare of the people of Nigeria, and he will wholeheartedly support any and all efforts to move the country forward.
“President Buhari has brought an end to the tradition of Presidents lording it over state governors and trying to remove those deemed to have ‘offended’ the Federal Government. Even his harshest critics know this.
“The President has also been a strong advocate for the autonomy of Local Governments and has affirmed this on several occasions. The ongoing efforts to ensure financial autonomy for LGAs, are in line with the President’s core beliefs and vision.
“This is in addition to the Executive Order No. 10 of 2020, which the President signed on May 22, 2020, for the implementation of Financial Autonomy of State Legislature and State Judiciary.
“No President of Nigeria since 1999 has been this resolute in the commitment to democratically strengthening every tier of Government, for improved delivery of the dividends of democracy to the Nigerian people.
“There is no doubt that President Buhari has set a new standard for national-subnational government relations. He has put a stop to toxic actions and attitudes of the past and restored normalcy, and we expect that all succeeding administrations will toe his path and ensure that Nigeria never returns to the dark days of unnecessary animosity and poisonous relations with elected Governors.”
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