CLO Tasks A’Ibom Politicians against Heating Polity over 13% Derivation Fund Arrears

Okon Bassey in Uyo

Politicians in Akwa Ibom State have bèen told not to use the refund of the 13 percent Derivation Fund arrears to heat up the polity instead of concentrating on electioneering campaigns in a responsible and decorous manner.

The State Chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Otuekong Franklyn Isong. gave the advice at a press conference held in Uyo, the State capital yesterday.

 He urged politicians to restrain themselves from the use of hate speech and campaign of calumny capable of hampering the course of governance, peace and security in the State.

“We wish to reiterate our earlier advisory to politicians in Akwa Ibom State that they should not allow their political ambitions to becloud their reasoning or tend them towards creating unease or tension in the State.

“CLO is disturbed by the tension that the issue of 13% Derivation Fund arrears refund is being used to create. Particularly worrisome is the resort by certain politicians to heat up the polity with incendiary and inciting statements.

“CLO commends the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, the government and people of the State, and all the security agencies in the State for the sustenance of peace, which has earned Akwa Ibom State the enviable status of the most peaceful State in Nigeria in the past seven and a half years to the glory of God.

“CLO observes with dismay that some politicians in the State are attempting to make political capital out of the statement credited to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on the 13 per cent Derivation Funds arrears refunded to the State by the federal government through deliberate misinformation and misrepresentation of the fact in issue in a manner that is capable of fuelling unrest and derailing the course of governance, peace and security in the State.

“CLO, however, considers the tension and the furore surrounding the issue of 13% Derivation Fund refund as unnecessary and distracting.

“CLO cautions against any situation that can lead to a re-enactment of the 2011 pre/post electoral violence recorded in the State in which several lives were lost and properties worth hundreds of millions of Naira were destroyed.

“CLO’s independent investigation into the issue has revealed that the 13 per cent Derivation Fund arrears refunded to the account of the Government of Akwa Ibom State started in 2021.

“CLO notes that the 13 per cent Derivation Fund arrears refunded to the State by the Federal Government was captured in the 2021 Appropriation Law of Akwa Ibom State and in the 2021 approved revised Appropriation Law of Akwa Ibom State.

“CLO also notes that the 13 per cent Derivation Fund arrears refunded to the State by the Federal Government was captured in the 2022 Appropriation Law of Akwa Ibom State and in the 2022 approved revised Appropriation Law of Akwa Ibom State.

“CLO can confirm that the 13 per cent  Derivation Fund arrears refunded to the State by the Federal Government is reflected in the 2023 Appropriation Bill of Akwa Ibom State currently under consideration by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.

“CLO’s findings further revealed that the 13% Derivation Fund arrears refunded to the State by the Federal Government was captured as one of the sources of revenue accruable to the account of the Government of Akwa Ibom State in the Accountant General’s Audited Report for 2021 and will be captured in the Accountant General’s Audited Report for 2022.

“For the avoidance of doubt, CLO places much premium on transparency and accountability. Hence, in line with her avowed commitment to hold political office holders and government accountable to the people, the CLO embarked on project tracking of the three (3) Senators, ten (10) Federal House of Representatives Members and twenty-six (26) State House of Assembly Members.

“So far, CLO has toured constituency projects of some of the Lawmakers, and the exercise is ongoing. At the end of the exercise, CLO will be able to appraise the performance of the State and Federal Lawmakers.

“CLO also embarked on a three-month (March to June, 2022) tracking of projects executed and/or facilitated by the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel from its inception in 2015 to the present year, 2022.

“The CLO team visited and inspected projects cutting across Works, Health, Aviation, Environment, Education, Agriculture and Industry.

“CLO had first hand information on projects executed and/or facilitated by the administration. In summary, more than 50 road projects were inspected and found to be either completed or at various stages of completion.

“CLO applauds Governor Udom Emmanuel for embarking on these lofty and life-touching projects in the State.

“CLO calls on Akwa Ibom people to take ownership of these projects, encourage and support the government to complete all ongoing projects for the benefit of the communities where these projects are located and for the overall interest of the people of Akwa Ibom State.

“CLO advises all the 2023 political office seekers and their supporters to play by the democratic tenets enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and the Laws.

“To campaign with decorum, propagate their manifestoes to the electorate, and to abhor acts and omissions capable of breaching the peace and security of Akwa Ibom State.”, the CLO chairman stated.