Politics
APC Governors Call For Collaboration To Tackle Nigerian Cash Crisis
Amidst the ongoing cash crisis and controversy surrounding the naira redesign policy, All Progressives Congress (APC) governors held a crucial meeting with the party leadership in Abuja to discuss the situation and find a resolution.
At the important meeting held on Sunday at the national headquarters of the All Progressives Congress, no less than 10 governors were in attendance.
The meeting was between the state chief executives and the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
This significant gathering took place just one week before the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, February 25th.
Several governors, including Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Simon Lalong (Plateau), and Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), as well as members of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were present at the meeting.
However, the absence of several governors, including Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), and most of their counterparts in the South, was noted.
In addition to the aforementioned attendees, representatives from the governors of Imo and Katsina states were also present.
The party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, later joined the meeting at 4.45pm.
Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, addressed journalists before the closed-door meeting on Sunday, stating that the meeting was important and an emergency.
He said “it is my privilege to welcome you to this important and emergency meeting. We have found a situation where there is a pressing need to get together as standard bearers of our states in Nigeria who were elected on the platforms of our great party, the APC.
The programme’s agenda included ‘Interactions’ and ‘Preparations for the general election,’ but according to Senator Abdullahi Adamu’s speech, the discussion also covered the current friction between the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and some aggrieved governors over the naira redesign policy.
Over the last four weeks, this policy has caused considerable hardship for many Nigerians.
Contrary to an order of the Supreme Court that the Federal Government should suspend the February 10 deadline for swapping the old naira notes with new ones, the Central Bank of Nigeria refused to shift the deadline.
The apex court order followed a suit filed by Zamfara, Kogi and Kaduna state governments against the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.
States including Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Kano, Sokoto, Ogun and Cross River have also joined the suit as co-plaintiffs.
The situation was further exacerbated by the President’s declaration that only the old N200 should co-exist with the new naira notes. This policy has caused significant hardship for many Nigerians, with the recent protests being an expression of their frustration.
Following the President’s broadcast, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State addressed the people of his state, stating that the directive to reintroduce only the old N200 banknote was wrong and not a viable solution to curb the cash crunch in the country.
An angry Governor El-Rufai did not mince words during his address to the people of his state. He stated that the old N1,000 and N500 notes were still legal tenders in Kaduna state, and that the aim of the naira redesign was to scuttle the general election and pave the way for an interim government.
Following the conclusion of the APC NWC and governors’ meeting, which ended at 7:15 pm, journalists were invited into the venue, where the chairman addressed them regarding the outcome of the discussion.
During his address to journalists after the meeting, Senator Abdullahi Adamu lamented that while the naira redesign was a good move, the timing and pain it had caused Nigerians made it necessary for both the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to avoid misleading the President.
He said, “I’m sure you are quite aware of the fact that a meeting comprising the APC governors was held today and the leadership of the NWC of our great party was summoned.
“We had a discussion and at the end of the discussion, we have resolved as follows: That this resolution is without prejudice or whatsoever to the case that is lying at the Supreme Court at this point in time. This has to do with the issue of currency redesign.
“That the meeting is urging his Excellency, Mr President, to intervene in resolving issues that are causing this great difficulties to the economy,”
According to reports, during the meeting, many of the governors present expressed their opinion that there was a need to urge the President to obey the court order.
According to a report, Governor Bagudu of Kebbi state, who spoke first after the chairman’s opening address, rallied other governors and the APC NWC to reject the CBN policy during the meeting.
In the quest to ramp up the push against the negative effects of climate change, Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has approved changes in the leadership of the state’s climate change team.
Consequently, Gov Adeleke directed the abolition of the office of Senior Special Assistant on Climate Change and the redeployment of the SSA on Climate Change, Prince Moruf Adedapo, out of the sub sector to the pool of SSAs.
To add bite to the changes, Gov Adeleke also directed the movement of the office of the consultant to the state on climate change and renewable energy from the Ministry of Environment to the Governor’s Office.
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Biztellers reports that with the changes, the consultant, Prof Chinwe Obuaku will henceforth be reporting to Gov Adeleke directly.
A government statement underpins these to “a strategy to give bite to the administration’s push to fast track implementation of adaptation and mitigate climate actions”.
As part of the leadership reforms, Gov Adeleke further directed that liaison between the state government and federal agencies as well as development partners on climate matters should be coordinated by the state consultant.
It was gathered that stakeholders would henceforth be relating with the state consultant on climate related matters as the office of SSA on Climate Change no longer exists.
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has expressed the view that his administration is an agent of development that has positively touched all sectors of the Osun society within just two years in office.
He made the pronouncement while presenting Budget 2025 tagged “Budget of Sustainable Growth and Transformation” to the State House of Assembly, with members of the State Executive Council present at an annual event hosted by the House Speaker, Right Honourable Adewale Egbedun.
Gov Adeleke noted that “the total size of the Budget 2025 is Three Hundred and Ninety Billion, Twenty-Eight Million, Two Hundred and Seventy-Seven Thousand, Seven Hundred and Forty Naira Only (390,028,277,740.00).
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“The expenditure comprises Capital Expenditure of One Hundred and Forty-Four Billion, Two Hundred and Thirty-One Million, One Hundred and Eighty-Three Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira (N144,231,183,800.00), Recurrent Expenditure of Two Hundred and Forty-Five Billion, Seven Hundred and Ninety-Seven Million, Ninety-Three Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty Naira Only (N245,797,093,940.00).
“Recurrent Expenditure is divided into Personnel cost, which is made up of salaries and allowances, as well as Pensions and Gratuities and stands at One Hundred and Two Billion, Eight Hundred and Ninety-Five Million, Eight Hundred and Twenty-One Thousand, Ten Naira Only (₦102,895,821,010.00).
The balance of One Hundred and Forty Two Billion, Nine Hundred and One Million, Two Hundred and Seventy Two Thousand, Nine Hundred and Thirty Naira Only (₦142,901,272,930.00) is set aside.
“Our Revenue consists of Recurrent Revenue, where Government share of FAAC is One Hundred and Ninety-Six billion, Seven Hundred and Seventy-Eight Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand, One Hundred and Eight Naira Only (₦196,778,975,180.00 and Independent Revenue is One Hundred and Nine Billion, Eight Hundred and Seventy Million, Nine Hundred and Thirty-Two Thousand, Eight Hundred and Thirty Naira Only (₦109,870,932,830.00).
Other receipts from development partners are Fifty-Three Billion, Three Hundred and Seventy-Seven Million, Two Hundred and Forty-Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Ten Naira Only (₦53,377,244,610.00).”
He affirmed that his administration has recorded unprecedented progress across the sectors which will be unveiled in details during the midterm anniversary holding for a week later this month, submitting a synopsis to the Assembly.
According to the Governor, “our administration has reduced rural Health Access gap by 40% through rehabilitation of over two hundred Primary healthcare centers; We have increased health care access to all pensioners from less than 10% to 90% within two years;
“We closed road infrastructure gap and deficit by 50% from 80%; we took agric mechanization from 0% to 35%; We built digital economy policy structures from 0% to 55%; We built public service integrity from 25% to almost 70%;
“We expanded local content from 0% to 75%; We built climate agenda from 0% to over 70%; We raised state financial support for cooperative societies from 0% to 66%; We expanded financial support to ward cooperative societies from 0% to over 60%;
“We built Ilesa University from 15% to over 90%; We redeveloped Odeomu Cooperative College to HND institution; We increased Osun Google coverage from 20% to 65%; We launched phased bursary award from 0% to 40%; We liquidated 40% of inherited salary debt;
“We paid up over 35% of inherited pension debt; We improved School infrastructure by over 40 percent; We enhanced rural Infrastructure by over 40 percent with over 300 completed rural projects”, the Governor affirmed, adding that “Osun State has not taken any loan (External or Domestic).
“We rely solely on the prudent management of available resources to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the good people of Osun State. This is our goal and with God on our side we will not derail”, the Governor told the lawmakers.
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has announced a sweeping dissolution of executives across all state boards of government agencies and parastatals.
In a statement released by Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, the governor confirmed that the affected officials are to vacate their positions immediately.
The decision, which was made public on Wednesday, also impacts Permanent Secretaries who were appointed from outside the Edo State Public/Civil Service, as well as political appointees across various government departments.
Governor Okpebholo directed that all outgoing officials hand over government property in their possession to the highest-ranking public officer within their respective agencies or departments.
“It is hereby announced for the information of the general public that the Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has approved the dissolution of executives of all boards, agencies, and parastatals in Edo State Public Service with immediate effect,” the statement read.
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