- Says FG borrows to pay salaries
- I will make my position known on presidency after consultations
By Nseobong Okon-Ekong
Contrary to widely held opinion that the North does not want restructuring of the federation, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, who is the Vice Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum and Chairman of governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that Nigeria’s advancement as a nation depends on “restructuring and devolution of powers,” while arguing that the Federal Government must “shed weight and devolve more powers to the sub-nationals.”
Addressing a team of journalists in Sokoto on the recent tour of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission to get inputs from states for an impending review of the revenue allocation formula, Tambuwal asserted that no state in the federation was happy with its allocation from the federation account.
” No state is happy with where it is. Not even Lagos or Rivers; so, if Lagos and Rivers are not happy with where they are, how do you want Sokoto and others to feel? We are all looking for money and resources. Not even the Federal Government is happy with where it is. They (Federal Government) has the lion share but they are looking for resources. Go and ask them; they borrow money to pay salaries,” he said.
Continuing his justification for restructuring of the country, Tambuwal said, “It is not about Sokoto but what people have been talking about the need for restructuring and devolution of powers in the country. We must review and restructure away all those things from the centre. I said it at the PDP Retreat. It is first our pathway to stability, growth and development. The Federal Government must shed weight and devolve more powers to sub-nationals where the people are in the states and local governments. That would give less attraction to the centre. Let the Federal Government be dealing with issues of immigration and other normal issues that a federal system should be concerned about.”
Answering a question on whether he will go against the resolution of Southern Governors Forum to have a President from the South in 2023, Tambuwal said he found it difficult to talk about zoning. “When you talk about what my brother governors from the South said, they are entitled to their opinion. When the Northern governors met in Kaduna, they said their own. But it is now for the political parties to sit down, look at the issues and plan how to win elections. The bottom-line for any political party is how to win elections. When you are talking about democracy and elections, you must think about demography; where are you going to get the votes?”
Stating that he will make his position on contesting the presidency known in a few weeks, the Sokoto State Governor said, “You know that in 2018, I participated in the PDP primaries that held in Port Harcourt and I thank God that I came second. Several people are talking to me to give it a trial. At this moment, what I can tell you is that very soon, I am going to commence my consultations and whatever is the feedback I get and with prayers, I will let my position be known.”
