I write to bring to the attention of Nigerians that Mr President, Bola Tinubu, by sidelining Edo and Delta states from the recent 50 per cent palliative on transport costs during the Yuletide, has presented himself as a very unfair individual and president. We say this despite his recent protestations over the weekend that he was going to be fair and just to all Nigerians irrespective of party affiliations or who did not vote for him in the presidential elections.
Recall that most of the monies that he is going to spend to defray the palliatives are from the crude oil in the Niger Delta states of Nigeria. They are not monies that come from the pockets of a Mr President, to be put to use for the comfort of just a section of Nigeria. We also want to point out that people from these states in Nigeria are some of the most widely travelled people nationally and internationally. This is a statement of fact, to be attested to by the many private transport companies in these states. To that end, if there was going to be an emphasis or priority given at the planning stages of this transport allowance, our people from these states ought to have been accorded some respect, priority and dignity.
From the way people from the Niger Delta have been sidelined, we come off with the impression that we are being punished for exercising our election responsibilities of sticking to our choices and conscience instead of to whims and caprices. There is time to reverse and or amend the route that will benefit from the Yuletide transport allowance.
Bob Majiri Oghene Etemiku wrote from Abuja
