The Democratic Front (TDF) has condemned what it described as the hypocritical and emotional blackmail of the federal government by governors elected on the platform of the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Mallam Danjuma Muhammad and Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo, TDF argued that it was a coordinated attempt to conceal their failure to deliver meaningful development to the people of their respective states.
It said: “The call recently made by the PDP Governors in Asaba, Delta State on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to ameliorate hardship in the country, can best be described as hypocritical, sarcastic, and a show of executive rascality, by heads of sub nationals who do not understand their primary duties and are ready to shirk their responsibility to deliver meaningful development to their people.
“We are perplexed on why the PDP Governors choose to make a spectacle of themselves in a way that undermines their credibility after more than a year of quantum leap in federal allocations as a result of the economic policies of the Tinubu administration.
“Is it that they are not aware that the increased allocations are meant for developmental purposes that will improve the welfare of people in their respective domains?
“These are members of a political party that currently controls some of the states that receive the highest federal allocation in Nigeria, yet it is difficult to point at any substantively impactful projects that could boost food production in those states.
“We expect that PDP Governors understood that one of the key objectives of the ongoing economic reforms in Nigeria, is to make more money available to governments at all levels to facilitate easy delivery of meaningful development in their respective jurisdictions.
“With the record increase in FAAC allocations to states on the watch of the Tinubu-led administration, we expect all governors to avail themselves with the opportunity to provide their states with quality and affordable primary and secondary education, improved primary healthcare system as well as deliver. on their other promises to the electorates.
“There is, however, no sign that any of the governors that converged on Asaba has improved on what was on the ground before May 2023.
“It is therefore ironic that they ignored their own failings to indulge in divisive political blackmail that insults the sensibility of their electorates.”
TDF urged the subnationals to take a cue from the federal government and complement its efforts rather than resort to playing to the gallery.
“We could see the Federal Government’s investment in Agriculture and livestock development, the provision of support for indigent students through NELFUND, provision of financial credit to enhance the purchasing power of Nigerians through CREDICORP, investment in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as a cheaper alternative fuel to Petroleum as well as massive infrastructural development.
“We challenge these governors to identify any life-changing, meaningful projects they have set out to do in the last 20 months, which could be said to complement what is happening at the federal level or justify the quantum rise on their allocations.
“This is because of our belief that the efforts of the Federal Government alone can not make life better for Nigerians without the complementary efforts of the sub-national governments,” it added.
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