You are pitching public against FG, group hits Kano Govt over Tinubu’s palliatives comment

Association for the Welfare of Poor and Vulnerable Nigerians (AWPON) has faulted the recent condemnation of the federal government intention to distribute Five Hundred Billion Naira (N500b) as palliatives to Nigerians by the Kano state governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf.

The governor, through his Deputy Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, had during a meeting on Thursday with representatives of the Kano Cooperative Society at the Government House, lamented that the distribution was heavily biased.

Gwarzo said Lagos State would receive 47 percent of the allocation, followed by the South-South Zone with 17 percent, while other regions receive much lower percentages.

But a statement issued by the association in Abuja and signed by the National Coordinator, Mr Sambo Dogo,  claimed that the move “is unbecoming of a state government like Kano.

• Supplementary budget: N70bn not palliative for lawmakers — Senate
• Sultan directs Muslims to look out for new moon of Muharram

The association said the state government attempt was a move to “pitching the public against federal government humane policy.”

It described the claim as “baseless, unverifiable and lacking in merit and authority.”

The statement reads, “Since the meeting between Deputy Governor and Cooperative Societies was part of the activities to commemorate the 2023 International Day of Cooperatives, the Deputy Governor should be occupied with state plan for the development of Cooperative Societies, NOT ATTACKING FEDERAL GOVERNMENT POLICY OF CUSHIONING THE EFFECT OF OIL SUBSIDY REMOVAL.”

“When we read the press statement issued by the Press Secretary of the Deputy Governor, Ibrahim Shuaibu, on Friday, that, the distribution formula was “unfair, unconstitutional, and illegal”, we were shocked that Kano state government is faulting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s action as “illegal and unconstitutional.” reads the statement.

“The state government’s call on the relevant authorities and members of the National Assembly to rectify the situation and take appropriate action against those responsible proves to all that Kano state government under Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf does not even understand how government works. Ours is to pray for the people of Kano state to be saved from this inept and clueless leadership.”