The All Progressives Congress (APC) Organizing Secretary, South East zone, Mr Dozie Ikedife (jnr) has said that Nigerians should blame economic hardship on the State Governors, the local government administration and not the federal government.
The APC chieftain who exclusively spoke to our Correspondent at his Nnewi home, Sunday, disclosed that States and local government authorities received enormous resources from the federation account which he said if judiciously used, would make every citizen in the States comfortable.
He disclosed that allocations that accrued to the States and local government areas for the past one year since President BolaTinubu assumed office should be used for the citizens properly.
He insisted that Nigerian youths should rather direct their anger to the individual State Governors for their inability to cushion the effects of global economic hardship in their various States. He said citizens should hold the Governors accountable.
“So, citizens should make sure that State and local government authorities are doing the right thing. That’s why I keep saying that the August nationwide protest in this country was misguided and misdirected.
“Despite the hardship in the country, President Tinubu’s commitment to welfare of Nigerians is unquantifiable. His government has been busy creating wealth for the nation.
“Things are really hard globally, not just peculiar to Nigeria and Tinubu’s administration tries to lay the right foundation.
“I think his greatest achievement is liberating the local government system. What he has done about local government autonomy is a landmark achievement. I’m quite impressed with his achievements in many areas and I know he would continue to do more.
“Look at what he is doing, giving young ones opportunities to have access to university education through the students loan scheme. That’s another landmark achievement which is highly commendable. He is the right man for the job, “Ikedife said.
He narrowed his submissions down to Anambra State government and said that Governor Charles Soludo had performed below expectations.
“In Anambra State, for instance, I don’t know what the Governor is doing with the resources that accrue to the State. If you come to Nnewi local government area you can hardly see any State government presence.
“Now that States are being forced to conduct local government elections, you will see the quantum of development that will spread everywhere, “he argued.
On the September 28 fixed for Anambra State local government elections, Ikedife assured that it was not tenable, describing it as abnormal.
“You have to understand that Soludo is being forced to do what he is supposed to do as Governor. He is reluctant to do what he is expected to do for the people.
“Now that the federal government has pushed him to the wall, to conduct the local government elections he quickly went and became instrumental to enact new laws in the State. And these new laws are at variance with federal laws.
“So, I don’t think the date he set for the local government elections is attainable at all because it has conflicted with federal laws.
“The law provides that you give a minimum of ninety days for an election like that but that has been contravened. These things are laughable.
“There’s Supreme Court judgment on process and procedure and that Supreme Court judgment should be binding on all the States, Anambra should not be an exception.
“So, we in the APC are being guided by that Supreme Court judgment and that September 28 is not tenable. The right thing is to come up with an appropriate time table, give political parties a minimum of ninety days before the conduct of the elections.
“Elections are being held in other States. Elections are coming up in Imo, Enugu and Ebonyi States with over ninety days notice. It’s very simple. All we are asking is for Soludo to stop dancing “gwo gwo gwo ngwo” for Anambra people. Let him do the right thing, “Ikedife jnr added.
On the death of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, Ikedife described it as a colossal loss.
“He died and we are still mourning. We’re not going to start looking at strategies for Anambra State governorship election till we honour our late brother, till we lower him to the grave.
“Right now we still have tears in our eyes, we are still mourning, we are still in shock. After the shock we then start making preparations on how to bury a national Icon, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
“God is always with us and God shall provide a good Governor for Anambra State, “he concluded.
