A crack may have developed among the ranks of the governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as Governor Tanko Umaru Al-makura of Nasarawa State and his Imo State counterpart, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, yesterday took different positions in their reaction to President Muhamnadu Buhari’s decision to ditch the N5,000 unemployment benefits to Nigerians.
The governors gave their opinions separately yesterday while speaking with reporters after their meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in Abuja.
To Al-makura, the President has the prerogative to so review any policy at any given time and his decision stands in as much as it is to the best interest of the nation.
According to the Nasarawa governor, “the President is the person that can tell you precisely how he is working on campaign promises and interventions that he has created, using his ingenuity. And if at any point in time, the President is reviewing that issue, I think he is the only person that can do so in the best interest of the country. And so, it is not challengeable by anybody whatever his position.”
He, therefore, called on Nigerians to give the benefit of doubt to enable him implant the laudable agenda that he has for Nigerians.
While Okorocha, who is Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) agreed with the President on the need to improve on infrastructure to boost productivity, he, however, believed that, one way or the other, the APC campaign promises must be fulfilled to the people.
“To be honest with you, it is a great idea, but there are many ways to give that support. Sometimes, it could be in cash which has its own challenges. Handling of that is also in itself a wonderful and great idea,” he said.
The President had declared in Saudi Arabia, during a meeting with a select group of Nigerian community in Makkah that, rather than paying the N5,000 as canvassed by his party on the heels of the presidential election, he would instead focus on repairing infrastructures such as roads, bridges, schools, among others. (The Guardian)