APC govs admit failure, seek FG bailout to pay salaries

Still convinced that president-elect Muhammadu Buhari has the magic wand to turn around the fortunes of the country, Governor of Imo state and Chairman of APC Governors’ Forum, Chief Rochas Okorocha on Tuesday pleaded with Buhari to help state governors pay workers’ salaries.

Okorocha who noted that many states, as well as the Federal Government have not paid April salaries, called on the incoming Buhari administration to consider implementing intervention measures that can bail out the governments from the critical situation to at least enable them meet their salary obligations.

Okorocha who made the call on Tuesday when he led APC governors to visit Buhari at the Defence House, Abuja, lamented that the state of the economy has created the situation in which many states are unable to pay worker’s salaries.

He said the situation has put payment of April salaries of workers in jeopardy.

According to him, “One of the issues that became of concern to all of us is the state of the Nigerian economy which is really in bad shape. We have come to notify the incoming president of the challenges ahead of him.

“As it stands today, most states of the federation have not been able to pay salaries and even the Federal government has not paid April salary and that is very worrisome. By May and June, that (salaries) will be cumulative of three months,” he said.

“We wonder with the huge expectation from Nigerians and people who have voted us into power, we are hoping that the president-elect will do whatever is humanly possible to bring about a bailout not only in the states but the federal government at least for people to get their salaries and turn around the economy.

“We have seen the reason to work together and support Mr. President and we have also called on all our brothers in other political parties to come along with us to build the Nigeria of our dream. In a nutshell, we have come to congratulate Mr. President on a well-deserved victory knowing that this victory, the change we’ve all been waiting for must only be dedicated to ordinary citizens of Nigeria who stood up and voted accordingly”, he said.

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