The Allied People’s Movement (APM) presidential candidate, ‘Seyi Makinde, has disclosed that his success story started when he arrived in the South-South Region of the country in 1990.
The success story from South-South
According to him, he got to the South-South Region in 1990, armed with only his First Degree Certificate, but became gainfully employed and, over the years, rose to become a success story.
The Oyo State governor also added that he was also blessed with a beautiful home, having being married to a wife who hailed from the region.
This was as he called for a Nigeria where young people can secure employment or build successful businesses, based on their education, skills and knowledge, citing his personal experience of working across the South-South region.
Makinde made the disclosures at the APM South-South Town Hall Meeting, recalling that he arrived in the region in 1990 at the age of 22, armed with a degree from the University of Lagos and secured employment, despite having no personal connections.
According to him, he worked in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Rivers states, as well as offshore locations, relying on his skills and knowledge to build his career.
He said the experience reflected the kind of country he hoped to build through his Reset Agenda, where young Nigerians would have opportunities to receive education, secure gainful employment and succeed as entrepreneurs.
“This is the type of Nigeria we want to build with our Reset Agenda. A Nigeria which works for every Nigerian,” the Oyo State governor said.
Maintains stance on NLNG dividend payments to states, LG
He, again, spoke about the distribution of dividends received by the Federal Government from the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), and due to state and local governments.
The governor insisted that the funds had not been paid into the Federation Account as stipulated by the Constitution, claiming that the Federal Government, by that fact, owed the 36 state governments about ₦250 billion each.
He therefore challenged the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to provide the amount meant for the 36 states and 774 local government areas across the country.
Makinde, speaking in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on Tuesday, accused the Federal Government of spending alone the money paid by NLNG into the Federation Account.
“I said the Federal Government has withheld almost ₦250bn due to each state from Nigeria LNG dividend payments.
“Rather than come out and tell us what has been happening to dividends paid by Nigeria LNG, they said, ‘No, Governor Makinde, you be careful. You should not say things that are not true.
“I stand by what I have said. The records are there. The papers are there,” he said, clarifying that he was not referring to a one-off payment.
He spoke further: “I did not say it was a one-off payment that is due to the states. They should listen and listen very carefully.
“What I said is that, over the years, including during this administration, the Federal Government has been spending alone the dividends paid by Nigeria LNG into the Federation Account.
“Anything that goes into the Federation Account, according to our Constitution, should be shared between the Federal Government, state governments and local governments.
“Let them provide the amounts meant for the states and local governments in Nigeria.”
The APM presidential candidate had, last Friday, accused the Federal Government of withholding ₦250 billion in NLNG dividends for each state in the country.
He claimed that each state “was supposed to get ₦250 billion,” a claim the Presidency has refuted, describing it as false.
“NLNG has never paid $25 billion in dividends to the Federation Account in a single payout,” presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, had said.
“Therefore, any claim that a single payout exceeds the company’s entire lifetime distribution to the Federation—and is being withheld—defies basic logic and economic reality,” he added.
The stance of Governor Makinde on the NLNG dividends highlighted concerns over revenue sharing and fiscal relations between the Federal Government and state governments, particularly as regards the distribution of revenues from government investments.
The APM South-South Town Hall Meeting provided a platform for its presidential candidate to outline his views on employment opportunities, entrepreneurship and the management of public revenue in Nigeria.
