by Favour Afolabi
It is an open secret that the five governors that funded the activities of the APC the most over the course of the last two years were those of Lagos, Rivers, Kano, Osun and Imo – and it is very apparent from the challenges those states are facing today that “the monies meant for the development of these states were not judiciously used for the betterment of those states.”
See how they place below:
1. LAGOS: While Fashola only inherited a debt profile of N15bn from Tinubu, he left the state with a debt profile of N418bn even as his government could not complete the three biggest projects it embarked upon – with which it made so much noise and secured so much political capital at home and abroad.
None of them even got to 50% stage before leaving office – being
[a] Lagos-Epe Expressway
[b] Lagos-Badagry Expressway + Mono Rail [c] Lagos Epe Airport
Interestingly, perhaps the biggest problem Lagos faces today is that of “Extremely Terrible Traffic” – that could have been alleviated if some of these projects had been completed!
2. KANO: Kwankwaso left Kano with a debt profile of N300bn even though he spent only 4 years in office inheriting a N77bn debt stock from Shekarau who spent 8 years – I hear Ganduje who Kwankwaso handpicked as his replacement says “This is no big deal” – LOL
3. RIVERS: While Amaechi is alleged to have sold off $800m of Rivers State assets to fund the elections, it is also on record that he got the House of Assembly under controversial situations to approve the release of N19bn from a sinking fund put away by the state “for the rainy day” for undisclosed projects! It should also be noted that Amaechi practically converted planes that he claimed was meant for the state into “Buhari’s personal plane” during the elections season.
4. OSUN: This being my own Home State – I am from Otan Ayegbaju in Boluwaduro Local Government Area – this place that “My indefatigable Governor” wants the world to refer to as “State of OSUN” should be aptly referred to as “State of Hunger and Pain” as that is what Aregbesola has turned the place into – he now owes 8 months in unpaid pensions; and 7 months in unpaid salaries even as the Pensioners were at the House of Assembly yesterday screaming “Ole, Ole” [Thief, Thief] just as more than 230 of their members have now died from this terrible state of affairs. The same Governor maintains a Private Jet – for which use I do not understand – and remains defiant going about the place like he should be named the President without elections by 2019 for his wonderful deeds!
5. IMO: I have been reliably informed just this morning by a seasoned journalist who hails from the state that Okorocha now owes 10 months in unpaid salaries.
Mind you – these same states were the very hotbed of the opposition leading to the polls – making life difficult for their respective citizens while giving the impression to the same people that “It was President Jonathan, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Federal Government led by the PDP” that they needed to vote out to enjoy better lives – in fact, some of these people were the very ones that led the propaganda against NOI that “She was the one responsible for the states’ inability to pay salaries and meet up its obligations” even though they were receiving their monthly allocations from the FGN supported by Internally generated revenues [IGRs] from their local domains on a regular basis.
On a sarcastic note, it would appear that the tough life being experienced by some of the staffers these states is more like KARMA – you go on to support a candidate/party that is stealing from you blindly while you are being owed salaries and one day you wake up to remember that you are being owed 6-10 months salaries or pensions in a classic case of “Don’t Cry for me, Argentina.”
Then one other thing – I have stated in the past that “The Nigerian Media and Civil Society have become subsidiaries of the APC” – not even the NLC/TUC has been able to call for a strike in Osun and Imo state – as their members languish in abject poverty in the states to the point that the Christian Association of Nigeria [CAN] is now planning to offer help to some of these staffers in Osun – and you can be sure that these same people would have called for a total shut down of the nation if these shameful acts were being perpetrated by GEJ’s Government or one of its ally states that was being led by the PDP – we would have had all the Falanas, Keyamos, Ezekwesilis, #OccupyNigerias, etc running all over the place – appearing in the media – giving erratic interviews; sweating and throwing saliva all over the place while also comparing “GEJ to Gbagbo – a Dictator that wants to make life hell for the masses!”
Once again, I congratulate the Nigerians that have now rewarded APC with control of about 22 states – many more State House of Representatives; many more seats at the Senate and House; and most importantly, the crown jewel – Aso Rock – truly, “to whom much is given, less should be expected.”
Favour Afolabi is founder and principal consultant at Online Republic Media and president and CEO, Viva Realty. He tweets from @FavourAfolabi and is on Facebook HERE.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
