President Buhari improves State, Federal government relations-APC Legacy group

The Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari has improved relations between all tiers of government.

The All Progressives Congress, APC Legacy and Campaign group stated this in a press statement signed by its leaders; the APC national youth leader, Ismael Ahmed, Director General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) Salihu Lukman, a former APC National Publicity Secretary Mr. Lanre Issa-Onilu and a presidential media aide Tolu Ogunlesi.

The group noted that unlike previous administrations that was characterised with tensions between the Federal and State Governments, the Buhari’s administration has ensured that both levels of government are relating better with each other.

The APC group also pointed out that President Buhari’s also strengthened all tiers of government by ensuring financial autonomy for Local Governments, State Legislature and State Judiciary.

“The withholding of Lagos State funds by the Federal Government, from 2004 onwards, in spite of a Supreme Court Judgement to the contrary. 

“The constant impeachments and attempted impeachments, engineered from the highest levels of government, of State Governors considered to be opposed to Federal Government, between 1999 and 2007.

“The splitting of the Nigeria Governors Forum, following the 2013 Chairmanship elections that threw up a winner who was not the favoured candidate of the powers-that-be.

“The suspension of meetings by the National Economic Council (NEC), following unresolved tensions relating to the management of Federation finances.

“The stalling of the NLNG Train 7 project between 2011 and 2015, because of a desire to promote another project sited in a more favored State.

“The President has also been a strong advocate for the autonomy of Local Governments, and has affirmed this on several occasions. The ongoing efforts to ensure financial autonomy for LGAs, are in line with the President’s core beliefs and vision. No President of Nigeria since 1999 has been this resolute in the commitment to democratically strengthening every tier of Government, for improved delivery of the dividends of democracy to the Nigerian people. This is in addition to the Executive Order No. 10 of 2020, which the President signed on May 22, 2020, for the implementation of Financial Autonomy of State Legislature and State Judiciary” the group said.

The APC group while pointing out that President Buhari has shown himself a political leader of all, regardless of political affiliation said this could be seen in the fact that all states regardless of the political parties controlling them have benefited from the policies and programs of the Federal Government.

“The Bailout programs of the Federal Government – including more than 600 billion Naira in Budget Support, and 575 billion Naira in commercial loans restructuring – that helped the States through the recession of 2016 and its immediate aftermath, were extended to all interested States in the country irrespective of partisan differences.

“The President has approved trillions of Naira in vital Refunds to State Governments, since 2015. These include more than $5 Billion in Paris Club Refunds, owed since 2006, and 700 Billion Naira in Refunds for construction work carried out by State Governments on Federal roads. In the case of the latter, the highest benefiting State was Rivers State, receiving more than 10% of the entire amount disbursed to all the States. The State Government has since acknowledged receipt of the funds. That these actions can now be taken for granted demonstrate just how much President Buhari has done to restore normalcy to the dealings between the tiers of Government. Governors have often testified to the support they have received from the President and his administration, and his willingness to listen to them and find ways to help them achieve their governance agendas for their States.

“Every State in Nigeria has benefited from the landmark programmes of the APC-led Federal Government, in infrastructure, social investment, agriculture and other areas.

He adds that the President’s only concern is the welfare of the people of Nigeria, and he will wholeheartedly support any and all efforts to move the country forward.

Lateefah Ibrahim