The gratitude expressed by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state to President Muhammadu Buhari and his invitation of the president to a state visit portend a good omen for the nation’s evolving democracy and the advancement of opposition politics in the country. This is coming after the federal government approved the disbursement N78.9 billion as reimbursement for the amount spent on executing some federal road projects in the state, including Port Harcourt-Owerri road.
The approval for the refund was granted at the virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Buhari on June 3. In his swift response in a newspaper advertisement on June 6, Wike, a vocal critic of president Buhari and a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), thanked the president for approving the refund. He said the gesture has shown Buhari’s love for the people of the state and as a president for all. The governor said his administration is willing to work with the federal government to develop the state.
“I wish to, on behalf of the government and people of Rivers state, appreciate and most sincerely thank you for graciously approving the refund of the sum of 78.9 billion naira to Rivers state government, as cost of the execution of federal government road projects in Rivers state. Let me also through you thank the vice president, His Excellency Professor Yemi Osinbajo GCON, as well as other members of the Federal Executive Council for the support they provided for our request.
“Mr President has by this remarkable and heart-warming gesture shown not only your love for the government and people of Rivers state, but also demonstrated expressly that you are indeed a president of every state of the federation and Nigerians. I assure you that Rivers state government is willing and ever ready to cooperate and partner with the federal government to advance the development aspirations of Rivers state in particular, and our nation in general. I wish to, therefore, appeal to Mr President to kindly oblige us a state visit, when invited, to see what we have accomplished for the state and our people with the money. Once again, thank you Mr President, and please, be assured of our profound esteem, as always,” Wike stated.
Wike is a known critic of the Buhari administration. He had accused the federal government of playing politics with Covid-19, alleging that federal authorities were working to compromise the health protection system of the state and make it vulnerable to the disease. However, an advocacy group, Network for Defense and Good Governance (NDDGG), called on the federal government to ensure that the Rivers state government gives account of its expenditure of the N78.9 billion reimbursement approved for the state recently. The NDDGG convener, Sobomabo Jackrich, urged the federal government to ensure accountability on the fund.
The reimbursement was approved sequel to a memo presented by the Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola at the third virtual council meeting presided over by President Buhari. The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who briefed journalists, said council has also warned there will be no reimbursement in future, should any state government venture into such projects without the nod of the federal government.
He said, ‘You will recall that in 2016, 36 states of the federation sent a very huge bill to the federal government, asking for compensation for money that they have expended on federal roads. This prompted Mr President to set up a committee to go and verify the claims of these 36 states, whether indeed these projects were actually constructed, and whether they were completed in line with the federal government standards.
“At the end of that exercise, the committee recommended that the federal government should refund N550,364,297.31 billion to 31 of the 36 states, after they were convinced that, yes, indeed, the projects were completed and they are federal roads. But the claims of five other states, namely, Cross River, Rivers, Ondo, Bayelsa and Osun, failed on the grounds that they did not do proper documentation and the committee felt they needed proper documentation.
“So the committee went back with a new terms of reference to ensure that the claims of the five states were in order, that is why the BPP is on the committee. So at the end of the exercise, the committee now reported that the five states – Cross River with 20 roads and one bridge will get a refund of N18,394,737,608.85, Ondo with six roads to get a refund of N7,822,147,577.08, and Osun with two roads and one bridge to get a refund of N2,468,938,876.78. Others are Bayelsa with five roads and one bridge is to get a refund of N38,040,564,783.40 and Rivers with three roads and three flyover bridges is to get a refund of N78,953,067,518.29.”
Blueprint commends the Buhari administration for approving the reimbursement of the whopping sum of N148,141,987,161.25 to the five states. The gesture, which is devoid of partisanship and animosity as it cuts across the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) and main opposition PDP states, is an ample demonstration of the president’s philosophy – “I belong to no one and I belong to every one”. We urge the beneficiary state governments to make judicious use of the funds while observing all accountability measures.
