Presidency’s Response To Our Communique, A Disgrace – PDP Governors

BY EVELYN DADU, ABUJA – The PDP Governors Forum (PDP–GF) has described the official response by the Presidency to its communique of Uyo, meeting as a total disgrace.

The PDP-GF specifically noted that the Villa’s response “betrays the abysmal ignorance and lack of appreciation of the issues raised in its Communique” stressing that; “it is unbelievable that such low quality response could come from Nigeria’s seat of power”.

The Forum also pointedly stated that it is even more shocking for the PRESIDENCY as an institution to embody the desecration of the Constitution in such a flippant, brazen and unserious manner as portrayed by the presidential spokesman.

A statement signed by the Director–General of the Forum, Hon. CID Maduabum, said that; “First, the PDP Governors accuse the Villa of celebrating “the non – remittance of funds by NNPC to the Federation Account because they should not “break the bank” for PDP Governors. What a pity!”

The statement further states; “The Governors maintain that it is “the duty and responsibility of NNPC to pay revenues into the Federation Account” adding “it is not a matter of discretion by NNPC. It is an imposition of law”

“Justifying its position, the PDP Governors pointed to the law making it so. The constitutional provisions on Public Revenue are clear. Section 162. (1) of the Constitution says: “The Federation shall maintain a special account to be called “the Federation Account” into which shall be paid all revenues collected by the Government of the Federation, except the proceeds from the personal income tax of the personnel of the Armed Forces of the Federation, the Nigeria Police Force, the Ministry or Department of Government charged with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and the residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”

The PDP-GF said that in case there are still doubts, the Forum went on to define what revenue in the constitutional provision means.

“Section 162(1) defines Revenue thus: “For the purpose of subsection (1) of this section, “revenue” means any income or return accruing to or derived by the Government of the Federation from any source and includes “(a) any receipt, however described, arising from the operation of any law; (b) any return, however described, arising from or in respect of any property held by the Government of the Federation; (c) any return by way of interest on loans and dividends in respect of shares or interest held by the Government of the Federation in any company or statutory body.”

The PDP Governors warned that it is a demonstration of impunity and gross abuse of law for NNPC to continue to disregard the unmistakable mandatory constitutional provisions above.

Restating the position of the law on the matter, the PDP Governors said “NNPC and other Revenue generating agencies of the Federal Government have mandatory obligations to pay into the Federation Account all its revenue after deducting legitimate cost of operations.

It stressed that fuel subsidy according to them or other profligate expenditures by the agency and other revenue earners for government are not part of the cost of production.

In the words of the PDP Governors; “And so, when NNPC makes its contributions to the Federation Account, the Federal Governments share in the Federation Account can be spent by it in a manner it desires. NNPC cannot spend money belonging to the other tiers of government for them.

“This is the way the Constitution is designed by its authors. Mr President cannot change the Constitution at his pleasure. Perhaps these matters are too complex for Garba Shehu to comprehend!” the statement said.

The Forum further defended its position on allowing the States and Local Government to have full control of their share of the Federation Account, saying; “The States and Local Governments in Nigeria bear the brunt of education, health care, water, food production, infrastructure such as roads, and increasingly the security of lives and property among others.

“The States and Local Governments share of the Federation Account does not belong to Governors. Certainly not to PDP Governors. The case made by the PDP Governors Communique concerns all the States and Local Governments in Nigeria, not only PDP,” it said.