The Northern Awareness Initiative (NAI) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to take responsibility for the failure of his administration instead of shifting blame to state governors.
The group said it is worried over recent publication on the level of poverty in Nigeria by National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), as well as the visible evidence of poverty rate in the Northern region.
Chairman and Convener of the group, Prof. Usman Yusuf, made this known to journalists at the end of a strategic meeting of the group in Kano, yesterday, apparently reacting to President’s comment during his parley with members of the Senior Executive Course (SEC) No.44, 2022, of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, where he accused state governors of thwarting development in the country.
According to the president, governors tinkered with council allocations by forcing the council chairmen to sign that they have received 100 per cent of their funds, while allegedly pocketing half of what the councils signed, thereby crippling development at the grassroots.
But, Yusuf insisted it is too late for the president to play blame games with the trust and responsibility placed on his shoulders.
The former Executive Chairman of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) noted that Nigerians have not elected the President to heap allegations on any arm or organs of government.
He said: “We have come to a point where the President is coming out to blame the governor for economic challenges in the country. We did not give governors this country to run. The President is coming with these excuses when his government is almost over. The APC government has failed.”
“The APC government came to power eight years ago with three promises; to fight corruption, ensure security and improve the economy. But all they have done in the last eight years is the opposite. Katsina, the president’s state is under the control of bandits.”
