Economic Hardship: Hold Governors Responsible, Says Hon Onuigbo

Hon. Sam Onuigbo, President of GLOBE Legislators International, has called for state governors to be held accountable for the economic challenges in Nigeria, despite receiving significant financial inflows from the removal of petroleum subsidies. Onuigbo, who expressed this sentiment in Abuja, noted that many governors have failed to reciprocate President Bola Tinubu's fiscal reforms.

He argued that, following President Tinubu's contribution to the subsidy removal process, state governors should share the burden equally by allowing Local Government Councils to receive their rightful share. A month ago, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State revealed that the state's FAAC allocation had grown from between N3.8 billion and N4.5 billion to around N14 billion to N16 billion.

Onuigbo, a former Finance Commissioner in Abia State, lamented that while the federal government holds 52.68% of the revenue, state governors receive 47.32%, leaving out the 20.60% that should go to the councils. He emphasized the importance of using resources for agriculture and rural development to help address unemployment and prevent troublemakers from escalating issues to higher authorities.

Onuigbo hopes that President Tinubu will be praised for these efforts, especially through collaborative subnational level actions, to foster development. He urged Nigerians to re-elect President Tinubu in the upcoming elections to maintain the progress made.