Former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, has stated that several Nigerian states now receive in just two or three months the amount Borno received in federal allocations throughout his eight years in office, attributing the increase to the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Sheriff, who served as governor of Borno State from 2003 to 2011, made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television on Monday while defending the Tinubu administration’s economic policies.
His comments came in response to criticism by the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who had earlier urged President Tinubu to either resign or shelve any plans for re-election. Obi argued that the President should be judged by the same standard he applied to former President Goodluck Jonathan over insecurity ahead of the 2015 general elections, describing the current security situation as evidence of failed leadership.
Reacting to the criticism, Sheriff said the removal of the fuel subsidy had significantly boosted the revenue shared among states through the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
According to him, Borno State received approximately N150 billion in total federal allocations during his entire eight-year tenure, whereas some states now receive as much as N55 billion in a single month.
He said, “If you check the current allocations to states, especially the ten states with the highest allocations, you will find that some receive about N55 billion in just one month.
“During my eight years as governor, Borno State received a total allocation of about N150 billion. Today, some states receive that amount within two or three months. The records are available, and they show that President Tinubu has implemented policies that have significantly improved the financial position of the states.
“He wanted the country to move forward and also gave greater financial freedom to the states.”
Sheriff also defended the decision to remove the fuel subsidy, insisting that it helped avert a serious fiscal crisis.
According to him, had the subsidy remained in place, the Federal Government would have struggled to meet its financial obligations.
“If President Tinubu had not removed the fuel subsidy at that time, the country would have found it difficult to pay its bills. More importantly, the savings were not kept by the Federal Government but were redistributed to the states,” he said.
The former governor maintained that Tinubu deserved commendation for the economic reforms rather than criticism.
“I am not speaking on behalf of the President, but I can confidently say that the steps President Tinubu has taken to reposition the country deserve praise, not condemnation,” Sheriff added.
Speaking on the issue of insecurity, Sheriff argued that tackling security challenges should not be viewed as the exclusive responsibility of the Federal Government.
He stressed that state governments also have constitutional obligations in maintaining security, noting that governors oversee local governments, traditional institutions and other structures that play critical roles in safeguarding communities.
“While security is indeed a responsibility of the Federal Government, people often overlook the fact that states also have responsibilities under the concurrent legislative list.
“Nigeria has more than 8,200 wards, and government institutions are rooted in the states. Governors oversee local governments, district heads, traditional rulers and religious leaders.
“Addressing insecurity requires collective effort. It is a partnership involving every level of government, and even citizens have roles to play. We should not place every security challenge solely at the doorstep of the President,” he said.
ADEOLA KUNLE
No comments:
Post a Comment