APC South-South Youth Council Writes Open Letter To Nigeria Governor’s Forum

Open Letter To State Governors Under the Aegis Of The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) From National Coordinator,
APC South South Youth Council (APC SSYC)

4th August, 2024

The Honorable Governor of States,
Federal Republic of Nigeria

Your Excellencies,

Today, I am writing to you as a proud and frustrated Nigerian youth. I am part of a generation that is tired of being let down by leaders who promise the world but deliver nothing.

We are fed up with the excuses, the lies, and the blatant disregard for our well-being. We are tired of being told to “be patient” while our futures are mortgaged for political gain.

The youths of Nigeria express our utter disgust and disappointment at your collective deception and abandonment of our plight. Your actions, or rather inactions, have led to nationwide protests and uprisings against hunger, poverty, and bad governance.

We must remind you that the responsibility of bettering the lives of the nation and her youth does not lie with the President alone. You, as Governors, have a critical role to play in addressing the pressing issues that affect us. Unfortunately, you have failed on your part, triggering the national protests that have shaken the country.

Despite Mr. President’s allocation of resources to empower the youth and locals, you have chosen to abandon us, prioritizing your own interests over our welfare. Your deception is palpable, and we will no longer stand idly by.

You have failed to create opportunities, provide basic amenities, and address the pressing issues in the State that affect us instead, you have resorted to tokenistic gestures and empty promises, hoping to pacify us.

It is unacceptable that the governors have not been able to translate the increased allocations into tangible benefits for the people. Their inaction and inefficiency have led to a situation where the masses are blaming the President alone for their woes. This is unfair and unjust.

We hold the governors and local government officials responsible for their failures. They have failed to provide basic amenities, infrastructure, and services to the people. They have failed to create jobs, stimulate economic growth, and alleviate poverty.

We demand that the governors and local government officials take responsibility for their actions and inactions. We demand that they account for the resources entrusted to them. We demand that they deliver results and improve the lives of the people.

Their failure to do so will only lead to more suffering and hardship for the masses. We will not stand idly by while the governors and local government officials continue to fail the people.

We challenge your Governors to account for the resources allocated to your States for youth empowerment and development. What have you done with these funds? How have you utilized them to better our lives?

Your silence is deafening, and your inaction is a betrayal of the trust placed in you. We demand answers, and we demand action.

As you may recall, the federal government announced that governors would receive additional funds to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal on citizens. Specifically, it was pronounced that governors would pay an additional N35,000 to their state citizens following the subsidy removal in September 2023.

So, here are pertinent questions we wish to ask the Governors today: what happened to the increased funds allocated to your states after the subsidy removal in September 2023? We know the federal government has been paying its part, but we have not seen any tangible evidence of the promised N35,000 being paid to citizens. Where did the money go? Was it swallowed up by corruption? Was it used to fund your lavish lifestyles? Or did it simply vanish into thin air?

What happened to the financial palliatives, free grains, and rice offered to you by Mr. President to help the poor masses and youths in your State? Did you receive these resources? If so, where are they? Who benefited from them?

What happened to the Infrastructure Development Fund provided to governors by Mr. President, aimed at urban renewal projects nationwide? Did you utilize these funds for the intended purpose? Can you show us the projects completed, the lives touched, and the communities transformed in your State?

With the increased FAAC allocations, where states and local governments now receive 100% more, what results can you show us for each monthly allocation? How have you utilized these funds to impact lives?

The President has made significant progress in blocking treasury leakages, increasing revenue for all levels of government. Yet, the masses are not feeling the impact. What are you using the increased revenue for? Can you explain why the improved revenue has not translated to better lives for State citizens?

We have seen young people appointed into your governments. Can you give us an account of their impact? How are their appointments affecting the lives of other State citizens, particularly at the grassroots level? Are they really showing the works, or are they just bearing titles? What specific initiatives have they led? What problems have they solved?

Now, State Governors, we demand your scorecard! We want to see a clear and concise account of how you have bettered the lives of youths and Nigerians in general. We want to see the number of jobs created, the number of businesses supported, the number of lives touched, the number of communities transformed, the number of initiatives led by young appointees in your State government.

We demand answers because we know that the federal government has fulfilled its part of the agreement. It is time for you, as governors, to come clean and account for the resources entrusted to you. We won’t accept any excuses or lies. We want facts and figures. We want to see the impact of your governance.

We won’t be silenced or ignored. We will keep demanding transparency and accountability from our leaders until we see real change.

His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, we commend you for your tireless efforts in transforming Nigeria and improving the lives of citizens. Your achievements are numerous and impactful, and we appreciate your dedication to the welfare of Nigerians.

Your administration has provided financial palliatives to workers, brokered and approved a new minimum wage, and initiated student loans to support education. You have also promoted affordable transportation through CNG conversion, distributed free grains and rice to citizens, and provided infrastructure development funds to governors for urban renewal projects.

Mr. President, you have increased FAAC allocations to states and local governments, granted a food import duty waiver, and invested in infrastructure improvement, including roads and energy. Your administration has also established local government autonomy, addressed the farmers/herders crisis, and made significant progress in blocking treasury leakages.

Additionally, your order for crude oil sales in Naira to local refineries will reduce petroleum costs and create jobs. We also appreciate your commitment to youth inclusion in government, appointing more young people than ever before, including intellectuals who opposed you.

Your leadership has brought about positive change, and we urge you to continue your good work. We also call on governors to follow your example and ensure that these initiatives benefit the grassroots.

In conclusion, Mr. President, your administration’s achievements are commendable, and we urge you to continue your good work. However, we also recognize that the impact of these initiatives has been hindered by the inaction and inefficiency of some governors and local government officials.

Therefore, we call on Nigerians to hold not only the federal government but also governors and local government officials accountable for every suffering and hardship in their States and the nation at large. It is time for citizens to demand transparency, accountability, and results from all levels of government.

We must recognize that the change we seek begins with us, and we must be willing to hold our leaders accountable for their actions. We must ask questions, demand answers, and insist on results.

Let us work together to build a better Nigeria, where every citizen has access to basic necessities like food, shelter, healthcare, and education. Let us hold our leaders accountable and demand a better future for ourselves and generations to come.

Signed

Preye Tambou
National Coordinator,
APC South South Youth Council (APC SSYC)