 3rd media aid to Gavna Udham, Imanu of Aqaibam State Reverend Richard Peters and the Senator representing Aqaibam North East Uyo Senatorial District at the National Assembly Ubon Basi Albert, popularly known as Oba, have disagreed following the revelation by the governor of the river state Nyeh Sonweke that President Muhammad Bwari had paid 13% derivation areas since 1999 to all governors of Niger Delta states. President Aqban, who is the governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party, YPP during a war-to-war campaign in East Itam-Ituloka government area of Aqaibam State, said weakest disclosure has validated his exposition that Gavna Imanu received 280 billion nair from the federal government without accounting for it. Albert regretted that despite the huge sums of money received by the governor, the state has nothing to boast about. However, Governor Imanu has media aid Peters and a press in a statement had Governor Imanu are still saddling on excellence on Saturday described the allegations as ridiculous and defamatory. Meanwhile, Governor Wike and River State today said the issue of 13% derivation is being blown out of proportion. They say, oh, I've got trouble, I said what is the trouble? But they say, oh, the Niger Delta states shall account for their money. I never said so to anyone. All I said, people should thank Bwari for me, for giving him money to do a new project. That's what I said. If he will interpret it in a different way, it's your own business. Is it of the time somebody who I don't work for you? I don't understand what people do to the politicians every time. We have joined us to discuss the promises of Governor Imanu and Wike of River State, a public affairs analyst, appointment of Uncle Taria and a political analyst, Professor Sanifage. Good evening, Professor and Mr. Taria. Good evening. Good evening, Mr. Taria. Good evening. Yes. Now we have to just... Exactly, exactly. Mr. Uncle Taria is a public affairs analyst. And we'll just start off with you. We witnessed our Governor Imanu and Wike's promising the presidential candidates of the Labour Party logistic support whenever he goes to campaign in River State four days ago, and also he did the same to the presidential candidates of the new Nigerian People's Party, NMPP, today. The big question I'm begging for answer right now, is he playing politics with these state members? Thank you, my brother. Professor Thomas, let me say this. He just had his... the denier concerning the centralization. When he said... All he said was, we are really leased to him. Meanwhile, on Saturday, and even before Saturday, he said to all the Niger Delta state governments, that's what he said. And they told him, he said to themselves, I think that would be too good. You now tell me if that in itself would be too good. What? I haven't said this. You talked about the issue of logistics to PTOB and to Papansu. That, you know, will also tell you it is the voice of a disgruntled, grumbling, frenetic man that is aware and scared of approaching his political nadia. We are going to apply logistics support to PTOB, of the leader party. We are also going to apply logistics support to Papansu. To who exactly are you doing the support in the forthcoming presidential elections? Because this is the talk of logistics support. Well, a lot of people might argue that what he meant was, as the new security officer of the state, he was going to ensure a campaign-free effort, sorry, a trouble-free effort for the presidential candidate. But the truth is, if you have to go to any state to campaign, going by the electoral act with the police and indirect and the political party the most informed, you have to advise them and they are going to ensure that you have a free campaign. You might have a curtsy if I'm the governor of the state. And even if the governor will have to provide logistics, it has to be true the constitutional police because the governor himself belongs to the political party and it is presumed that being a member of the political party you are already by acts. Now, in this particular instance why the governor of the United States of which he is saying to be truly at the same time saying the same thing to Papansu is to one, he says as people and to also to make as people jealous. The same governor that is talking about what this supports for presidential candidate is the same governor that is instigating the campaign of political parties in return state. And don't also forget for those who party on that proposal is the same governor who are trusting that you will see how the executive supporters here in the future will come to protect and to campaign. Otherwise, he is going to prostrate their campaigns. He has already prostrated the campaign of other political parties by being a member of the political party by dragging the other political parties to Papansu that is called to disqualify them. He has come up with all kinds of draconian executive orders. You have to pay 5 billion error nonrefundable to schools if you have to use the school premises. You cannot have campaign offices in urban areas and even in the rural areas without the framework of the state government. These laws are non-existent including for people the government itself contains. Everyone was almost denied the use of the stadium. I was caught on that thing and I know what happened. I mean, most of the people did not study it because we had the security on our side. He is now coming up with draconian laws to frustrate the campaign of other political parties and let me state this clearly that this is also by the electoral act and the constitution. Because when it comes to the constitution it is within the constitution and when it is dependent on the electoral commission. Mr. Taria You hear me? Now he come up with a reason that is racially inexplicable that when they go into the schools they might decode the campuses or whatever I will allow you to state did we not use the schools? All you need to do is to get and show that it's a cultural presence or whatever I may call that you have to let them show that the campuses are the way they were before the political party is waiting you cannot dictate how political parties are going to campaign your state. That is the stupid cruiser the percentage you have to offer from the police that is all the electoral act anything contrary to that is draconian Mr. Taria we will come back to you let's just shift attention now to Professor Fargay Are you there? Do you agree with everything that Mr. Taria is saying and do you think it is just a sting to the PDPs? Is he out of place talking about the governor of river state is he out of place to say he will provide logistic support for the NNPP and of course he will be I don't agree with him 100% there are areas that I quite agree with him and areas that I don't agree with him now if we look at what we can say that he is talking with both sides of his mouth in other words he is talking to issues at a different time at the same time first when we talk about providing logistic support to NNPP party I think that one you can visualize it within the context of the electoral act or electoral law which prohibits any party or any government from not allowing a level playing ground to each party or to every party so I think that we can see he is trying to be clever by half by saying that he is going to do that which means openly he has not contradicted the electoral law on that regard secondly when he is talking and this is where I agree with the last speaker when he is talking about giving them support I think he is trying to slight the PDP all alone he is trying to be a typical Nigerian politician who believes in democracy only when it serve his own interests where it doesn't he can do whatever to bring it down secondly bringing it down so that he doesn't get it so he is trying to do whatever he thinks will bring the party down in his own place let's look at the other part of this with the whole 13% derivation that has been everywhere everybody has been talking about it is Gov. Nyesong Wike a hero by announcing a 13% in public the 13% derivation money be owed to the governor of the south since 1999 should we describe him as a hero because nobody has come up openly to talk about this to some extent he is but you have to contextualize the situation why he blew up the whistle now all alone this is not the first time that we are having this issue and none of the leaders came out to say that this issue has been on the ground and nobody did a lot of things to justify the allocation instead they manipulating their own population that these things they have been dominated and so on which creates a sort of hard peeling in the minds of the people but now that he comes out I think he is blowing the whistle so that those who are sitting on the pens will have to come out to say something because after all I think Wike is seeing that maybe the end of his political career has come so since on that ground I think he has to come out as a champion at least that will endear him to some people at least within his own state while at the same time blackmailing those who kept quiet so that is why we are likely going to see a lot of debate whether it has been given or not I think this is just a tip of the iceberg thank you so much let's move to Mr. Unquotaria Mr. Unquotaria what people have been talking about this whole 13% derivation just in case you are listening I mean the layman out there 13% derivation comes from the federation a revenue to oil producing communities through the state governments as enshrined in section 162 subsection 2 of the Nigerian constitution now he has come out to talk about the 13% being received by the president Boiri in 1999 the money being owed to the governor of the south-south is he a sort of hero at this moment Mr. Unquotaria wait wait wait why we will not go into the garacity or appropriate of that play if you look at the response the response from the affordable state government I will describe it as a pleasant disclosure done for intently bad reasons as a pleasant because it is going to let the public know to go to the public money the fact that the federal government believes X amount and for governors who believe they are going to feather online their pockets with that amount the marches will now hold them accountable like it's been done already in some states but I said for intently bad reasons because the governor is not on chance with practically the south-south governors and so what he is trying to do is escalate both the people and the south-south governors is he generally one of the south-south governors is he so he wants to select the man to say you cannot trust this man don't forget this is the same question that I have always said you cannot trust a person one brush is talking about unification another brush is talking about division which of course is within slanted interpretation because he was talking to a target audience and he really went to stepfather to say I am in the fire he really went to western states to say I am married to your daughter therefore even if you vote for me Israel is voting for one of you he said I am married to your daughter so the issue is being quoted out of context unfortunately the media is also catastrophizing that issue so so let us leave that aside let us go back to the 13 percent direction now while the south-south governor the doctors are coming okowa and so what he is trying to do is also to write this okowa what are you doing with this 13 percent direction that the federal government has released Mr. Tsaria because of time because of time what are you trying to do what are you trying to do what are you trying to do it might be a political disclosure but for essentially bad reasons ok now that's by the 13 percent direction oil producing state still battle high debt while critical infrastructures still suffer should other governors declare this come out to say this is the money we have received from the federal government that is why I said it was a political disclosure in a way that I will not go into the veracity of a political mess ok it is a disclosure so the almost is now on the state governors to explain because such a man cannot be released to you without any explanation I will not be attached to him I will not it is not for the governors it is in command of them to explain what are they receiving what have they done with the money I don't have a problem with that I don't have a problem with that I don't have a problem with that I don't have a problem with that it is not done with the money we need to wrap up let me quickly ask Professor Feige do you think at this moment you know that other governors need to just open up and tell the people that this is XYZ amount of money that has been released and some of these states suffer high debt problem they got infrastructure a problem should they declare the money that was received the money they received from the federal government yes I think it is a must because democracy is about accountability of the leaders to the electorate at least this issue now that has come out they have to come out to explain it to the people either they deny it if it is an allegation or they come out with a pact or they do now I think it is now out of public domain the federal government may not sit down in case they give them and they keep quiet I think the federal government will come out and talk about it because it is a very sensitive issue and thereby I think it is in their own interest and in the interest of democracy for them to come out and explain what really is about the money thank you so much Mr. Apunabu Unkotaria public affairs analyst who has been speaking to him and of course our professor Sanifage who is a political analyst thank you so much for joining us this evening thank you