Starrys Obazei/December 02, 2022.
Nyesom Wike, Rivers State Governor, has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to name the state governors who diverted local government (LG) allocations.
The President had at an event on Thursday alleged that some state governors divert allocations to local government councils sent from the Federation Account.
He also accused the governors of making the council bosses sign undertakings for money not received and agreeing to have received the total allocations.
But on Friday, at the commissioning of a project in Port Harcourt, Gov. Wike claimed that he has never touched monies meant for the local government since he came on board in 2015.
The governor also claimed that none of the G5 governors in the Peoples Democratic Party has ever touched local government allocations.
He then challenged the President to name the governors who tamper with local government allocations.
Wike said: ”I challenge Mr. President, you must come out and tell Nigerians those are committing this offense.
“You said the Governors are taking local government funds. I want to say, in the name of Almighty God, I’ve never touched local government funds one day. I never have and I have no reason to do that.
“So, Mr. President, tell us who are those people? You know them, tell us.
“I’m not one of those governors. Mr. President, tell Nigerians that the Integrity Governors are not part of them.
“Do us a favor to announce all those states that are taking local government funds”.