From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa on Friday challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to name state governors stealing from the monthly allocation to local government councils in their states.
President Buhari had blamed governors for the perversive under development of communities at the council areas, claiming that governors were tampering with the monthly allocations to the local councils.
But reacting in Asaba through his Chief Press Secretary, Olisa Ifeajika, Okowa who is the vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said it was unfortunate for the president to have made such a blanket statement.
He said Okowa cannot be counted among governors pilfering local council funds, noting that the state government, on a monthly basis, support councils in the state with N300 million to enable them pay salaries and stay afloat.
“He does this religiously. For a man who does that, how can he be among those stealing LG money? Our governor is not part of it.
“If a roll call is taken about the governors that fall in that bracket being referred to by Mr. President, certainly Okowa will not be there.
“He will be among those whose names will be written in gold for being very fair and magnanimous for LG in Delta State.
“You are also aware how the state government gave N5 billion out of which N2.5 billion was grant for LG retirees.
“He makes sure that JAAC meets regularly to ensure that things don’t go wrong,” Ifeajika stated.
The governor’s aide however said his boss was not demanding apology from Mr. President for the declarative statement, adding that the reactions that have so far greeted it showed that it injured some states.
“It behoves on them to know whether they would apologise or not for making the blanket statement. We are not demanding any apology.
“But from the positions being taken, it is clear that that declarative statement injured some persons and some states,” he stated.