Nigerians Should Hold State Govs Accountable For All Funds Disbursed To Tackle Hardship – Ex-Presidential Aide, Onoh
Onoh also called on the National Assembly on the need to consider the immunity clause in Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria which confers immunity on state governors and deputies.
Aformer aide to President Bola Tinubu in the South-East, Dr Josef Onoh, has called on Nigerians to hold their state governors accountable for all the funds disbursed under the current administration to cushion hardship in the country.
Onoh also called on the National Assembly on the need to consider the immunity clause in Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria which confers immunity on state governors and deputies.
The Minister for Niger Delta Development, Abubakar Momoh, had alleged poor performances by some state governors as contributing to the economic hardship in the country.
Momoh had made the remarks on Tuesday when he appeared on Channels TV.
Onoh in reacting to the minister’s statement said it was time for Nigerians to separate leaders from looters, adding that some state governors were allegedly sabotaging the efforts of the federal government.
He said, “Under Tinubu, N570billion Livelihood Support Fund was released to the 36 states to expand livelihood support to their citizens. N50billion NELFUND was released to the student loan scheme from the proceeds of crime recovered by the EFCC.
“Also, to states, N5billion palliative package for each state and the FCT, to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy; $617.7million to 36 states and FCT, with a target of 25,000 youths trained in each state and FCT; 42,000 MT of grains to all 36 states and FCT.
“If the government has done all this and hardship still persists in the country, then it’s unfortunate and the more reason I urge the National Assembly to repeal the immunity clause of the governors and deputies in the constitution.
He said, “In my opinion, the Nigerian experience of the immunity clause in the constitution has been horrendous, traumatic and have yielded to social anomaly in the sense of mis-governance and underdevelopment.
“We have continuously asked Nigerians to hold their state Governors accountable before and during this hardship protest; this is an advice we know will spell doom for any citizen as it will automatically become an offence and the incumbent governor cannot be prosecuted.
“An ordinary citizen will be immediately convicted for such an offence. With this, there is no respect for the rule of law which postulates equality for every Nigerian before the law.”
