PDP, Presidency At War Over Source Of Bailout Funds

The country’s major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Presidency were said to be in a war of words over the N713.7billion President Muhammadu Buhari approved to bail out states with financial crisis.

Vanguard; APC, PDP at war over source of bailout funds, The Guardian; Controversy trails FG’s special funds for states, The Nation; Workers to governors: don’t blow N713b bailout cash, Daily Sun; Terror in Kaduna, as well as The Punch; Female teachers, others killed in Kaduna bombing, makes the front pages of the national dailies for Wednesday, July 8, 2015.


VANGUARD reports that the Presidency and the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party were on Tuesday, July 7, divided over the sources of the N804.7 billion relief package earmarked to bail out states that are unable to pay workers salaries.


The PDP insists that the said money came from savings left behind by the Goodluck Jonathan-led government, but the Presidency dismissed the claim, saying the sum came from earnings from Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG).
Recall that upon assumption of office in May 29, President Muhammadu Buhari, said he inherited an empty treasury from the immediate past administration.


The Presidency has also denied some media reports that relief package was collected from the Excess Crude Accounts, insisting that the ECA is intact. This became known when the APC leadership and state governments lauded the President’s relief package, which they said would help boost the country’s economy.


The PDP in a statement issued by Olisa Metuh, its national publicity secretary also lauded the President, saying the bailout would go a long way in alleviating the sufferings of Nigerian workers in various states of the federation, but cautioned the ruling party against the rainy days ahead.


THE GUARDIAN reports that controversy trails the Federal Government’s bailout package for states owing workers salaries. It said while the ruling All Progressives Congress and the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations applauded President Muhammadu Buhari’s release of N713.7billion to bail out states. The major opposition party said the money emanated from the balance left by the immediate past administration.


PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a release in Abuja on Tuesday, July 7, said a significant amount of the bailout came from the savings accumulated in the Excess Crude Account handed over to the Buhari-led administration by former president Goodluck Jonathan. He said this was against the President’s claim that he met an empty treasury.


Meanwhile, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state said that the N2.1billion his state got was not a bailout. Fayose, who spoke at a media briefing in Ado Ekiti, said the state’s share of the N413.7 billion ($2.1bn) that was gotten from the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) was legitimate earning to Ekiti state and not bailout from the Federal Government.


He further hinted that the said amount cannot pay the N2.6 billion wage bill for June, and went ahead to assure the state workers that he would struggle to raise the balance to ensure June salary is paid next week.


THE NATION reports that workers expressing joy and gratitude over N713.7 billion bailout for states to pay outstanding salaries have advised state governors not to unnecessarily blow the cash. The Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress and the ruling All Progressives Congress hailed President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision.


The General Secretary of the NLC, Dr. Peter Ozon-Eson, who is also the chief economist, urged Buhari to ensure that the governors spend the money on salary arrears. He also warned against “a situation that the governors that could not manage their allocation properly will be rewarded by being given special recognition.” He said the congress was happy about the Federal Government’s intervention, recalling that the congress presented the debt profile to the Presidential Transition Committee.


Responding also, Mrs Bosede Daramola, the Ondo state chairman of the NLC, said it was a welcome development which has brought relief to workers in the public sector. She urged the affected governors to pay their “pauperised workers” as a matter of urgency, especially those in need of medication. She warned the governors not to divert the money to projects.


Also, Comrade Akinyemi Olatunji, leader of the Osun state chapter of the Trade Union Congress urged the state government to spend the money to offset the backlog of workers salaries. He advised the state government to look inwards and come up with a strategy to increase its internally generated revenue‎ to prevent further salary delay since the bailout is only a short term measure.


However, while some state workers were still in joyous mood, DAILY SUN reports that a teenage suicide bomber on Tuesday, July 7, attacked Sabongari local government secretariat in Zaria, Kaduna state, during a verification exercise aimed at fishing out ghost workers in the state. It was reported that 26 civil servants were killed in the attack. The death toll was confirmed by Prof. Lawal Khalid, the chief medical director, Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital, Shika.


Reacting to the sad incident, Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who visited the scene, condemned the attack, and swiftly placed a ban on street begging and hawking. In a statement issued by Samuel Aruwan, his special assistant on media and publicity, all beggars and hawkers are to stay off the streets until further notice, adding that anyone found will be arrested.


The government also reiterated its ban on motorcycle taxis (achaba) in the metropolis.
He said: “I am sad that a terrorist bomb just killed 26 people in Sabongari, Zaria. May their souls rest in peace, Amen. We call on our citizens to be vigilant and avoid crowded places like markets, mosques, churches and motor parks in the next few weeks.”


THE PUNCH reported that the female suicide bomber that attacked Sabon Gari local government secretariat in Dogarawa, on Tuesday, July 7, killed no fewer than 40 people, most of which were female teachers.


It reported that most of the victims were burnt beyond recognition, adding that they were undergoing a verification exercise at the secretariat when they met their untimely death.
It said others sustained various degrees of injuries in the secretariat which is just a few kilometres away from the Zaria City. It was gathered that the suicide bomber sneaked into the secretariat at about 9.30am while staff verification was on and detonated an Improvised Explosive Device strapped to her body.


Meanwhile, Governor Nasir El-Rufai, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Samuel Aruwan, has condemned the attack, describing it as an act of infamy. According to him, “The casualty count as at 12 noon is 25 fatalities, including a two-year old child. Thirty-two injured persons are being treated at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, and other hospitals in the city.”