Governors Make U-Turn, Denies Receiving Buhari’s Bailout Funds

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Thursday, July 23rd, 2015

By Ganiyu Nasirudeen – The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has reversed itself, over the recent ‘bailout’ approved by President Muhammadu Buhari, for the State Governors to clear their workers’ salaries arrears.

NGF Chairman and Zamfara State’s Governor Abdul Aziz Yari, Thursday after the Governors’ meeting in Abuja, Wednesday, explained that over N700 Billion recently shared among the states was dividends remitted by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, (NLNG).

Governor Yari emphasized that it was significant to sensitize and clarify with the mass media that what Mr. President approved for States was never a ‘bailout’.

Yari stressed that what was shared last time was monies from NLNG and FAAC, noting that the NGF members have maintained they were not looking for bailout, rather, have been looking for all “monies that are in the coffers of the Federation most especially we are talking about some of the monies that are hung around the coffers of government to be brought together for the purpose of sharing”.

It would be recalled the opposition PDP has immediately after the approval of the ‘bailout’ late last month contested the source of the money, claiming the availability of the liquidity contradicted the ruling APC allegation of inheriting empty treasury from the immediate past administration.

While the APC submission aligned with the NGF position, the PDP faulted it and insisted that the money was sourced from the Federation Account.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh started the controversy that the money was never a ‘bailout’, but an entitlement of the States.