The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has queried the state governor, Godwin Obaseki over what he used the state’s share of the 13% derivation fund for.
Naija News reports that the Edo APC requested that Obaseki should give an account of how the backlog of money released to oil-producing states by the Federal Government was utilised in the state.
The Edo APC at a press briefing on Monday, also requested that the governor tell his people how much the state received as 13% derivation fund arrears.
The party’s reaction follows the revelation by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, last Friday about how the state’s part of the money helped his administration execute the numerous projects it embarked on.
Wike, who said this in Port Harcourt at the inauguration of one of his projects commended President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the payment of the money even though he was in a different political party.
The state Chairman of the APC, Col. David Imuse (retd.) against this backdrop called on Obaseki to tell the Edo people what he did with the state’s share of the money.
Imuse submitted that “We call on Governor Obaseki to tell Edo people the total amount the state government received as 13 per cent derivation fund arrears dating back to 1999.
“We also like to see the development projects in the oil and gas producing communities of Edo state to which he dedicated the arrears of the 13 per cent derivation funds if any. We want a full list, of the amounts involved and the contractors who did the jobs.
“The governor should also explain why he has deliberately refused to specify amounts received as 13 per cent derivation fund in his 2023 budget estimates.”
The Edo APC chairman maintained that it is hard to believe that Obaseki, who finds it difficult to account for the derivation fund given to the state, had the moral right to attack the federal government on the new naira re-design.
Imuse condemned the state government over an alleged plot to issue residency identity cards, noting that citizenship was granted to all Nigerians by birth or naturalisation.
He advised the Obaseki to key into the National Identification Number scheme by urging residents to register and liaise with the government to get the data of all Edo residents.
Naija News gathered that when the Edo state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare was contacted by Punch to react to the issue, he said he would respond to the allegations, but didn’t as at the time of press.
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