Again, Gov Makinde counters Tinubu’s claim on N570b hardship grants to states
*Says "Oyo did not receive money’
By KEMI KASUMU
This globalised online newspaper understands that while Governor Makinde, a known transparent administrator, swiftly heeded to the call for explanation to his people and he has explained that he received nothing from Tinubu’s Federal Government, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, traditionally, is yet to answer to De Renaissance Patriots’ letter asking for explanation on the Dangote’s $100 million.
The game of incorrect Infornation being chunned out to Nigerians by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Federal Government may not be ending soon as yet another one has been debunked by Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde.
This is as Governor Makinde denied receiving any money for his state from the N570 billion hardship grant the All Progressives Cobgress (APC)-led Tinubu’s central authority claimed it gave to the state governments to help mitigate the suffering citizens under their respective administrations as a result of unprecedented hardship and hunger inflicted on them by its hurried fuel subsidy and Naira floating policies President Tinubu issued and implemented same hour of his assumption of tge exalted office on May 29, 2024.
Makinde had recently, at Iseyin, Oyo State, debunked a claim by APC’s Senate President God’swill Akpabio that the Tinubu government gave N30 billion each states’ governors for purchase and distribution of palliatives to their people, warning him to play responsible politics and stop propaganda in a way that was capable of setting the people against him and his fellow members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
President Bola Tinubu, while addressing Nigerians in a broadcast during the #EndBadGovernance nationwide protests against hunger and hardship on Sunday August 4, 2024, hard said the government has disbursed N570 billion to the 36 states.
Tunubu also said that Nigeria spends N2 trillion monthly to import Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol, and Automotive Gas Oil, otherwise known as diesel.
He disclosed that N9.1 trillion was accumulated as total fiscal revenue to the Federal Government’s coffers during the first half of 2024, marking a significant increase from what was earned by the previous administration.
“Also, more than N570bn has been released to the 36 states to expand livelihood support to their citizens, while 600,000 nano-businesses have benefitted from our nano-grants. An additional 400,000 more nan0-businesses are expected to benefit,” the President stated.
However, in a newsletter No 95 of August 2024 personally signed by the Oyo State Governor and shared on his X handle on Thursday August 8, he said the state was not in the know of such a grant.
The DEFENDER reports that just like Lagos State indigenes through their socio-cultural organisation, De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, have asked Governor of their state, Lagos, to explain how it happened that they collected $100 million from Dangote over indigenous land he claimed to have given to Dangote Refinery for free and neither were the owners compensated nor was it brought to public knowledge, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde said his coming out to talk about the N570 billion hardship money was because his state people had asked him to explain.
This globalised online newspaper understands that while Governor Makinde, a known transparent administrator, swiftly heeded to the call for explanation to his people and he has explained that he received nothing from Tinubu’s Federal Government, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, traditionally, is yet to answer to De Renaissance Patriots’ letter asking for explanation on the Dangote’s $100 million.
According to Governor Makinde, “In my newsletter tonight, I responded to a question from a concerned citizen of Oyo State regarding the claim that the Federal Government ‘gave’ States over N570 billion as some kind of ‘hardship fund’ for citizens.
“So, in direct response to the message, the Federal Government did not give Oyo State any money. We were reimbursed funds (N5.98 billion in the first instance and N822 million in the second instance) we invested in the three result areas of NG-CARES, which includes inputs distribution to smallholder farmers within our State. In fact, when the World Bank saw our model for the distribution of inputs preceded by biometric capturing of beneficiary farmers, they adopted it as the NG-CARES model.”
Makinde’s denial comes on the heels of controversies that greeted the nationwide hunger and hardship protests.
The protest reported to have been peaceful in many states, had also turned violent in some Northern states, with hoodlums carting away goods and facilities belonging to both the government and individuals.
Some protesters in the North were also seen brandishing the Russian flag, a development which has been widely condemned and described as a treasonable offence.
The Department of State Service (DSS), Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Immigration Service and the Nigerian Armed forces have since announced the arrest and investigation of sponsors of the anti-hunger protests, including the arrest of seven Polish nationals.
Particularly, the DSS also vowed to announce the names of the sponsors behind the protests, especially the part of the protests that went violent due to infitration and disruption by hoodlums and political thugs allegedly said to have been sponsored by government to stop the starving citizens from crying out.
