Hold governors accountable… higher allocations should be justified, APC rep tells Nigerians

Yusuf Gagdi, a member of the house of representatives, says Nigerians should hold governors accountable for the state of the economy.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker, who represents Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam federal constituency of Plateau, spoke on Tuesday during an interview on ‘Politics Today’, a Channels Television programme.

Gagdi accused governors of failing to complement President Bola Tinubu’s reforms, adding that state allocations had tripled since the removal of petrol subsidy.

“The day he came into power, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made a bold statement. ‘Subsidy is gone’ was not just a statement, but he practicalised and demonstrated that,” he said.

“He did not stop there. A state that took N4 billion monthly when there was subsidy now takes between N10, N12, and N14 billion.

“Why are Nigerians and state assemblies not questioning the performances of their governors?

“If the revenue given to each state has tripled by the efforts of Mr. President in fulfillment of his campaign promise, why are the governors not justifying that?

“In addition to that, they come up with people-oriented policies of giving loans to students, assisting families, interventions, helping SMEs to grow.

“Now, a state government, which used to have four billion, now has 12 or 13 billion in a month.

“The infrastructure is being done by some. But not all is commensurate with the money they receive as a result of the removal of oil subsidies.

“Why do we keep blaming one person when people are receiving money from that one person, that’s the federal government, that’s President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, to the states?

“He could decide to suffocate them by not releasing funds; we have seen that during Obasanjo… when Tinubu was governor in Lagos, his subvention was not even given to him.

“Now, this man is a democrat and says that yes, he has removed oil subsidies, the revenue has increased, and he has increased your state allocation.

“Until we — me, you, and any other stakeholders in Nigeria — draw a line and become fearless enough to speak to the governors to replicate what they are doing with the increased allocation that is being given to them, do not hope that we will have any solution to the problems that we are facing.”

‘MOST PLATEAU ATTACKS COORDINATED FROM NEIGHBOURING STATES’

Speaking on insecurity, Gagdi said most attacks in Plateau state are “coordinated from neighbouring states”.

The lawmaker described killings linked to cross-border assaults as “very unfortunate and tormenting”.

Gagdi, who chairs the house committee on defence, said forest reserves had become “safe havens for bandits and kidnappers”, worsening insecurity across Plateau and other regions.

He also said community policing is more effective and remains a safer alternative to state police, adding that giving governors control would worsen insecurity.