FG has not released N78.9b refund approved for us – Wike

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Two months after President Muhammadu Buhari’s government approved refund of N78.9 billion to Rivers State, the Governor Nyesom Wike, said he is yet to receive any kobo.

Lai Mohammed

On Wednesday the 3rd of June, 2020, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, had after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) virtual meeting said a fresh panel was set up to revisit the remaining states yet to refund funds claimed to have been expended on federal roads in their respective  states.

The following states according to him were approved for refund: Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River, Osun and Ondo. The states got total of N148Bn refund – Rivers N78.9Bn; Bayelsa N38.Bn, Cross River N18.4Bn, Ondo N7.8Bn, and Osun N2.5Bn.

It would be recalled that the FG in 2016 set up a panel to evaluate the claims of the 36 states for refunds but resolved that the claims from Rivers and four other states did not meet verifications in terms of documentation till this last June when it was eventually approved.

But addressing party stakeholders in Port Harcourt, the State capital on Thursday, Wike said not even one Naira has been refunded to the State since then.

The governor went on to explain that the said fund was for federal projects executed with State money by the administrations of Peter Odili, Chibuike Amaechi and the current government.

“No State in Nigeria can say they’re better than Rivers State. No. God has given us what it takes to move the State to the next level…not next level of poverty,” Wike began.

“There’s nothing the APC can tell Rivers people today ‘this is why you must vote for the APC.’ But we have something we can say, ‘Rivers people, see what we have done..’

“APC has nothing to tell them. Whether Federal Government; whether their political appointees on federal level they have nothing to tell them, nothing.

“The money they said they’ve approved for us they’ve not given us but I’m not worried. I’ll continue to work.

Wike looking ahead

“So when many of them will say that these projects I’m doing is because they’ve given me money, Nigerian people, not even one Naira.

“No one Naira have they given me. But it’s our money. We don’t owe them any duty to explain to them. If they give us the money, we’ll use the money for the interest of our people.

“They can’t say anything again. They’ve shot their mouths. The level of development they’ve not seen before.

“I continue telling people that it’s wrong to say that it’s one person that did the project, it’s a lie.

Wike, Odili and Amechi

“Right from the time of Peter Odili, Celestine Omehia and Rotimi Amaechi that’s what the Federal Government is refunding.

“So anybody who comes to tell you it was one man’s project, it’s a lie. NIgeria is hoping on the PDP. APC has failed Nigerians. There’s nothing anybody can talk again.

“This is no time for promises. You have promised and you have failed and you want us to try you again? No. We’ve tried APC and it has not worked and now Nigerians have realised that it’s the same PDP that has the interests of the people at heart.

“You know there was a problem and you begged the people to vote for you. Now that they’ve voted for you, yet you cannot solve the problem,” Woke stated.

Wike had towards the end of June thanked the President for the approval and asked him for a state visit to the state when invited for him to see things for himself.

“I wish to on behalf of the Government and people of Rivers State, appreciate and most sincerely, thank you for generously approving the refund of the sum of N78.9 billion to the Rivers State Government’s road projects in the State.

“I wish to, therefore, appeal to Mr. President to kindly oblige us a State visit when invited, to see what we have accomplished for the State and our people with the money.”