By Matthew Tabe
Based on the revelations by the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, that President Muhammadu Buhari paid the backlog of 13 per cent derivation running into billions of Naira to Niger-Delta states, two governors – Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom) and Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), have come under fire for their inability to adequately account for the funds.
In an address at the Delta State presidential rally for the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, attacked Okowa who is the vice presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections for not doing anything tangible with the windfall.
ALSO READ: Again, Delta Assembly grants Okowa’s N5.2bn loan request for proposed housing scheme, UBEC
Oshiomhole said while addressing the crowd in Warri, “Yesterday, I don’t know if you listened to Gov. Wike of Rivers State. He said our President, Muhammadu Buhari gave all the Niger-Delta states their derivation backlogs that the previous PDP governments didn’t pay since 1999. What was given to these states, even Edo got more than N100 billion. If Edo got N100 billion, Delta people should ask Okowa, go to Asaba and say ‘Okowa, did you hear what Wike said? That is your brother from Rivers.’
“He said Delta State got over N250 billion from the federal government, not from Federation Account, but from arrears of derivation.
“Wike said he used his own to build flyovers. We [Delta people] should ask Okowa what he did with the windfall. You got over N250 billion; you got another N60 billion for refunds on federal roads. You collected N10 billion to pay salary arrears. How come Delta elderly women are crying in Asaba over unpaid pensions? Delta deserves a better governor and that’s the truth.
Also, a veteran journalist, Etim Etim, attacked the Governor Udom, who is the chairman of PDP presidential campaign council, for not being sincere in managing the funds.
In his article titled “Wike, Udom Emmanuel and Buhari: A matter of honor” the prolific writer said “It is a big shame and quite unconscionable that Gov. Udom Emmanuel has not disclosed that he had received this derivation arrears from the federal government.
“It was a few weeks ago that one of the Governorship Candidates in the state hinted that the state government had received a whopping N250 billion as its own payment and pleaded with the governor to inform the people of what he had done with the funds. Instead of making the confirmation, our governor flew into a rage and excoriated the candidate for daring to question him on how he manages our treasury.
‘In my article entitled ‘’Why is Gov. Udom Emmanuel angry’’ and published on November 1, I made the point that the governor should level with our people on their finances instead of throwing tantrums. I commended the governorship candidate for speaking up.
“I have written about this matter a lot, and I will say for the umpteenth time that Gov. Udom Emmanuel has a constitutional and moral obligations to inform us of monies he had received from the federal government, including the recent derivation windfall, since he came into office in May 2015.
“His penchant to appear opaque, secretive and untruthful in the manner he handles our finances gives impressions that he is a dishonest fellow, who treats the people with disrespect, disdain and disregard. That’s the impression the people have of their governor. It is up to him to clear these perceptions by explaining to our people how much he has received from the federal government since 2015 in terms of refunds for federal projects executed by the Akpabio administration, refunds for Paris Club refunds and now payments for arrears of Derivation obligations. He should also lay bare the total receipts from FAAC.”
While appreciating Gov. Wike for the revelation, he quoted the Governor’s speech saying “yesterday Friday, November 18, 2022, Gov. Nyesom Wike commissioned a purpose-built campus of the Nigeria Law School financed by the Rivers State Government in Port Harcourt. The Attorney General of the Federation, Abubarkar Malami, represented President Buhari at the event. In his speech, the governor noted that the project was funded by the arrears of derivation funds owed the Niger Delta state governments since 1999 which the Buhari administration had paid to the states.
“These are the exact words of Gov. Wike: ‘’The truth is that, and let me say it for the first time, and many people have been asking me, ‘where do you get money for all these projects?’. Let me say it, and I want the Attorney General to thank Mr. President, for monies that were not paid to the Niger Delta States, from 1999, the 13% derivation money that was not paid, Mr President approved and paid all of us in the Niger Delta States. And for me, it would be unfair not to tell the public. It is not money from FAAC.
“It is money paid to Rivers State, Akwa Ibom State, Edo State, Bayelsa State, Delta State and I thank God. That is why since 2019 till now, we have been commissioning projects in the state. Yesterday, we commissioned the 10th flyover; in December, we will commission the 11th flyover and in February, we will commission the 12th. The other day, we commissioned a cancer center which we named after our leader, Dr. Odili. Julius Berger built it and charged us N25.9 billion; it is equipped by GE (General Electric). We paid, and no one naira is being owed. So, I want to sincerely from the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of the government and people of Rivers State, thank the President for this,” the journalist said.