Politics
S/South states to sue FG for illegal deductions
The governments of states in the South South geo-political zone are gearing up for a confrontation with the Federal Government over deductions being made from their monthly revenue allocations.
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Uwemedimo Nwoko disclosed this while speaking to journalists in Asaba, the Delta State capital on Wednesday.
It would be recalled that Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State had berated the Federal government for playing politics with allocations due to states when he recently received a presidential hopeful on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Uyo, Alhaji Kabiru Turaki.
Emmanuel Said: “As at today, they’ve withheld all our derivation funds, we have not gotten anything out of the derivation for last month. Within two months, they have dropped the allocation of Akwa Ibom State by N6.8bn, so you can imagine how much I was able to get, all in the name of politics. “
Read also: Nigeria now a prison-yard democracy, Gov Tambuwal laments
Speaking on the resolve of the South South states to seek redress in court, Nwoko, insisted that the action of the Federal government is a violation of the constitution.
“And there is no reason that can justify their action. So I see it from the perspective of authoritarianism which is a clear violation of section 1:16 of the constitution which stated clearly the procedure for sharing revenue that accrues from the federation account at the end of each month.
“We the affected states particularly from the South South region are seriously contemplating legal action against the Federal Government to ensure that what is due to us is legitimately given to us. They should not play politics with funds that are due to states.
According to Nwoko the action of the Federal government can lead to an impeachment proceeding against President Muhammadu Buhari.
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