By Oke Peter
The Special Adviser (Media) to the Oyo State Governor, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, has responded to the statement issued by the Presidency on Sunday about the alleged withholding of NLNG dividends due to states and local governments by the Federal Government.
In a statement issued on Sunday, which was obtained by Energy Worth Online, Olanrewaju said:
"We have read the Presidency’s response to Governor Seyi Makinde’s statement on the Federal Government’s withholding of NLNG dividends due to states and local governments.
•Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State
The response sidestepped the central issue: the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), with the Federal Government’s support, engaged a consultant to reconcile NLNG dividend payments. The exercise identified a shortfall of about ₦9 trillion due to states and local governments. The Federal Government accepted the findings.
"The report remains in the custody of both the Federal Government and the NGF. We trust the Presidency will not deny its existence.
Governor Makinde is the NGF’s incumbent Vice-Chairman.
The Presidency stated that NLNG had paid $21.5 billion in dividends into the Federation Account since inception, including $3 billion received under the current administration. But it did not explain how these funds were disbursed.
"Have states and local governments received their shares? How much did they receive, and how were those amounts calculated? What happened to the $3 billion received under this administration?
Governor Makinde conducts public discourse with decorum and does not make unfounded claims or quote figures without a basis.
We remain ready to provide further clarification while we urge the Presidency to address the substance of the matter."
