We must hold leaders accountable for state resources – Osinbajo

Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, has tasked Nigerians to hold their leaders accountable for the resources of the state saying that leaders must also ensure fiscal prudence and fidelity to principles of transparency.

Speaking on Thursday during the federal government and Progressives Governors’ Forum parley on policy synergy to ensure development in Kebbi state, Osinbajo said that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government is committed to providing good governance in the country.

He said that the President Buhari administration was ensuring that the policies that are made are such that fall in line with the yearnings and aspirations of the citizens.

The Acting President said that the APC led government intends to completely fulfill all of its obligations to the people.

Osinbajo, who enjoined the forum to synergize on policies and implementation to achieve the desired change, said the federal government would provide stable macroeconomic environment to ensure rapid development.

“This forum carries an ideological burden and a promise which represent an answer to what many of the progressives that came to form the APC understand as a failed and retrogressive of the past. We are committed to an economic policy that guarantees the welfare and happiness of the majority of Nigerians.”

Osinbajo who described corruption as a major hindrance to the development of Nigeria said “it is an existential thread” that is systemic and endemic.

He said that the only panacea to growth is good governance, fighting corruption and ensuring fiscal prudence and fidelity to principles of transparency.

The Acting President said; “All over the world, countries, developed and undeveloped are holding their leaders to account for corruption whether it is Brazil, India, China, Israel or Thailand we look at these countries, they are individually ensuring that their leaders are held to account for the resources of the state that they are suppose to hold in trust.

“Leaders must be held to account for all of the resources of the state and the federal government. We as APC leaders, we as APC members projected to the Nigerian people and we are fully confident that we can fulfill all our promises to Nigerians. This is one of the key areas where we are expecting Nigerians to support us. Mr. President had led the anticorruption fight and we are expecting that all the governors and all of the leadership of APC must not only endorse it but fully implement every bid of our anti corruption fight.”

Osinbajo also disputed the general belief that Nigeria is an oil-driven economy adding, “It is our firm believe that we are not as some say an oil economy, we are a talent, hard-working and resourceful economy.”

Osinbajo said that the greatest resource of the Nigerian economy is not oil, but the talent and can-do spirit of Nigerians.

According to the Acting President, the emphasis on the welfare and happiness of the majority is evidence in agricultural policy of the administration and this is tight to the general idea that we depend on the Nigerian for the success of Nigeria and we have absolute faith in the spirit of enterprise of the Nigerian to take Nigeria from where we are now to full abundant and prosperity which is a promise that we have made.

The emphasis of our projection of the welfare and happiness of Nigerians of the majority is especially, evident in our agricultural policy. We started investing through our anchor borrowers program in subsistence farmers everywhere in this country.

Meanwhile, Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha, said that it was too early for Nigerians to judge the performance of elected officials.

Okorocha, who is chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, appealed to Nigerians not to judge them from “past sins or within the two years we have been in the mantle of leadership of this great country.

“You should judge us when the mandate entrusted to us expires.”

The governor reminded Nigerians that those at the helm of affairs came on board when the country was at the brink of collapse due to security and economic challenges.

He said the APC government would meet the expectations of all Nigerians.

“Our party has the best governors ever produced in the history of this country – from Sokoto, Adamawa, Kebbi, Lagos, Imo, Zamfara, Nasarawa, Kogi and others,” he said.

“When you visit those states, you will know that Nigerians have not made mistake electing us to lead the affairs of their states.

“We have resolved to fix the economy and it has already being fixed… we are united and Nigeria will always remain an indivisible nation.

“We don’t know who is Hausa, Yoruba or Igbo, our determination is only to stamp out hunger and bring democratic dividend to our citizens.

“Hate statements should not be taken seriously or regarded from anyone.”

Okorocha commended Kebbi farmers for saving the country a lot of foreign exchange through their agricultural activities especially rice production.

Earlier, Atiku Bagudu, governor of Kebbi state, said the governors would continue to work diligently in line with the APC manifesto.

The retreat was to evaluate current challenges faced by state governments in accessing opportunities and resources provided by various policies of the federal government.

Meanwhile, Osinbajo has reiterated the resolve of the federal government to negotiate for the release of the remaining 113 Chibok school girls, adding that the seeming silence from government on the girls was for strategic reason.

The Acting President, who was represented by the Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja when he received members of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) movement at the presidential villa.

Recall that about 275 school girls were on April 14, 2014, abducted by the Boko Haram sect from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno state when they were preparing for their Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

After several negotiations, the sect in October 2016, initially released 21 of the girls while another batch of 82 were in May, 2017also released in a prisoner-swap deal to the federal government.

While the released girls were undergoing some rehabilitation programme in Abuja and are set to return to school come September, having been granted scholarship by the Federal Government in American University of Nigeria (AUN) Yola, nothing has been heard of the remaining 113 girls still in captivity.

Addressing members of the BBOG, the representative of the Acting President stated that government’s silence is only strategic, reassured the group that government had been meeting with service chiefs concerning the abduction of the girls as well as others persons in Boko Haram custody and that efforts were being intensified to secure their release.

He said, “I’ve been asked by the acting president to assure you of the support of the government concerning your agitation for the return of all the girls that were kidnapped by members of Boko Haram.”

“He said he is fully with you, that he is recognizing what you are doing and he is hearing you loud and clear.

“On the issue of the policewomen that are being held and even concerning the girls, on a daily basis, the acting president has been meeting with security chiefs and making contacts with negotiators across the world who have helped in the past to secure those that have been released.

“So we have not at any point forgotten these children who could be any of our children. The acting president has asked me to reassure you this afternoon, to tell you that he is with you and that your cries are his cries.

The BBOG movement came into existence in 2014 after 275 Chibok school girls were abducted and since then, they have been working with the international community and at a point were in Chibok and even went at the Sambisa forest to ensure that the remaining girls were released unconditionally.