5th August, 2024
PRESS RELEASE:
PROTEST: THERE ARE SKELETONS IN GOVERNORS' CUPBOARDS - MURIC
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has revealed
that there are skeletons in the cupboards of some of Nigeria's state governors.
The group therefore urged Nigerians to turn their searchlights to the states if
they are genuinely interested in knowing where bad governance exists instead of
focusing on the center alone.
MURIC insisted that what some Nigerians are doing
presently amounts to scapegoating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice
President Kashim Shettima.
The revelation came in a statement issued on
Monday 5th August, 2024 by the Founder and Executive Director of the Muslim
Rights Concern (MURIC).
The full statement reads:
"We have noted for quite some time now how
Nigerians dissipate so much energy on confrontation with the Federal Government
(FG) at the center while they ignore the state governments thereby leaving the
latter to do as they wish.
"A good example of lackadaisical approach to
governance in the states is the way federal allocation to the states have
tripled without anything to show for the increase. It was recently revealed
that state governors have collected more than N40 trillion local government allocations and efforts of a
civil society group to make the governors render account is being thwarted by
the governors (https://serap-nigeria.org/2024/01/28/account-for-over-n40-trillion-lga-allocations-or-face-legal-action-serap-tells-36-governors-wike/).
"After
collecting monthly allocations of their states and doing little or nothing with
it, these same governors still go aead to seize money meant for the local
government councils and sit on it. The governors are amassing wealth at the
expense of the hoi polloi while the citizenry blame FG. This is still going on
in spite of the ruling of the Supreme Court that FG should be paying the local
government councils directly.
"Even at that, the governor of Oyo State has
reportedly requested that FG should pay money meant for the local government
councils into a joint account to be operated by both the state and local
government councils as if the two are into some kind of statutory marriage.
"Instead of commending FG for taking the case
to court when the governors refused to obey FG's directive that the governor's
should not touch money belonging to the local government councils, Nigerians
demonise FG.
"It is well known everywhere in the world
that there can be no meaningful development without tangible input at the
grassroot level and that is where local government autonomy comes in. It is
therefore paradoxical that Nigerians blame FG that is actively promoting local
government autonomy while they ignore state governors who are strangulating the
local government councils.
"Another
example of bad governance is the way governors treat traditional rulers. Most
governors persuade traditional rulers to canvass for votes for them among their
subjects when elections are near. Woe betides any monarch who fails to please
the governor. He may be suspended or dethroned.
"Yet it is trouble for the king whether or
not he supports the governor because the next governor may belong to another
party and he will come for a pound of flesh by deposing that king. So, head or
tail, traditional rulers lose. They are being punished for no fault of
theirs.
"Most of our state governors cannot stomach
perceived opposition, particularly from traditional rulers. We affirm that it
is totalitarian for governors to seek to control both the political structure
and the traditional system. In particular, it is wicked to sack a traditional
ruler sitting on the throne of his forefathers. A king is installed to rule for
life while the governor has a minimum of four years and a maximum of eight. Why
ruin the whole life of a royal father for a temporary political career? This is
intolerance and tyranny. Interestingly, political intolerance and tyranny are
major milestones of bad governance.
“Some
state governors deliberately undermine efforts made by FG to ameliorate the
suffering of the jamaahiir (poor masses). While FG recently revealed that 20
trucks of rice had been sent to each state government as palliative for the
people, thousands of bags of rice were recently discovered and looted
in Edo State after they had allegedly been hidden away for obvious reasons (https://punchng.com/anxiety-as-edo-residents-loot-truckload-of-rice/).
“A few lawmakers also fall into this category. We
all remember the Christmas palliative given to lawmakers in December 2023. Only
a few of them accounted for it till today. No wonder the citizens remained
hungry. But they always blame FG.
"We must also remember that some state
governors are yet to pay the minimum wage of N30,000 while some are owing
salary arrears up to five months, including pensions. Why didn't hunger
protesters go there to shout 'Hungry Dey'?
"We, therefore, assert clearly, categorically
and emphatically that real bad governance is to be found in abundance in many
of the states. Nigerians must stop beating around the bush.
"Of
course some state governors can beat their chests regarding performance and
they do not fall into this category of bad rulers. The numero uno in this class
of performing governors is Babagana
Umara Zulum of Borno State who has been
showcasing constant distribution of palliatives to his people. He is closely
followed by Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos with his dazzling city rail revolution.
It is also on record that Lagos does not owe its workers a dime.
"Those who assume that MURIC is just singing
the praise of President Tinubu or FG and the Lagos State Government (LASG) to
attract attention should remember that we are still at loggerheads with
them over certain differences. We disagreed with Tinubu for favouring
Christians over Muslims in his ministerial appointments and we told him so. He
is yet to make amends.
“Ditto for Governor Sanwo-Olu for giving Muslims 14
commissioners only but he gave the Christians 43 commissioners and also for
failing to accept responsibility after a government caterpillar accidentally pulled
down a mosque in Mushin, Lagos, killing two worshippers and injuring 15 others.
Yet this must not becloud our sense of objectivity. We complain when necessary
and objectively appraise as at when due.
“MURIC
will speak the truth even when we have been wronged by those being criticized by
others. That is maturity. It is also a matter of conscience. Ours may be
powerless conscience but it is still functional. Shaykh Uthman bin Fudi (Uthman
Dan Fodio) early remarked that conscience is an open wound, only truth can heal
it.
“We beseech Nigerians to shift their attention to
the states and local government councils in their search for bad governance and
to stop concentrating on Abuja. It is high time we stopped pressuring the
center. We should stop scapegoating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice
President Kashim Shettima. There are so many skeletons in the cupboards of
state governors.”
#EndBadGovernance
#CheckBadGovernors
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Founder/Executive Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).
