This means that a total of N1.31tn was borrowed within a period of about seven years by the states.

The nine states are Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Edo, Abia, Ondo, Imo, Bayelsa and Lagos.

The oil-producing states received the sum of N6.4tn in federal allocation and 13 per cent derivation fund.

The Federal Government disbursed a total of N1.98tn as a share of the 13 per cent derivation fund to oil-producing states, the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National budget, Zainab Ahmed, disclosed on Thursday, at the sixth edition of the PMB Administration Scorecard.

She stated that the amount was paid in seven years despite some of the funds preceding the current administration.

She said, “One of the key functions of the Ministry of Finance Budget and National Planning is in support of states. The President understands very clearly that this economy wouldn’t have been growing consecutively or wouldn’t have been able to pull ourselves out of recession twice.

“We wouldn’t have been able to grow consistently without enabling the states to grow because it is a federation.

“Mr. President has been very uniquely generous in his support to states. I can say no president has provided the level of support provided to the states of the Federation.

“He understands that the federating units need to work together as one to achieve the targets that he has set for the country. So, everybody goes to support sub-national governments.

“In seven years, we have disbursed N1.98 trillion in funds to oil-producing states.”

The 13 per cent derivation fund has been a controversial issue after comments by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, alleging that the oil-producing states had refused to disclose their own shares paid by the Federal Government from 1999 to all the Niger Delta States.

Ahmed further said that the government had supported states of the federation N5.03tn and an additional $3.4bn since 2015.

She said, “With respect to sub-national governments, the ministry goes over and above its statutory role to provide financial support to States:

“A total of N5.03tn plus an additional $3.4bn has been released to states by the Federal Government over the life of this administration.

“Each of these payments has distinct repayment terms with some given as grants and others as loans with favourable repayment terms, including a long amortisation period.

“The support covers the 13 per cent Derivation refund to oil-producing states, refunds for construction of federal roads, ecological support, support from the Development of Natural Resources Fund, Paris Club refunds, support from the Stabilisation Fund, COVID intervention amongst others.”

Reeling out the details, Ahmed said N445bn was given as salary bailout to states except Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Jigawa, Lagos and Yobe in September 2015, while N340bn was disbursed to states except Lagos and Osun as excess crude loan. Also, N610bn was allocated to all states, except Lagos, as a budget support facility.

Other support included: $2.67tn as an outright Paris Club refund; N750m disbursed in 2021 as an SFTAS reward; and N600bn paid as withdrawal from payment of subsidy in April 2022.

Speaking further, the minister revealed that the non-oil sector had continued to maintain high-level performance in terms of revenue generated, adding that it was currently the mainstay of the nation’s economy.

She said that the sector contributed N1.71trn out of the total revenue of N4.19trn, an outturn of 100.7 per cent compared to the budget projection.

“Today, I call your attention to the very high performance of the non-oil sector of our economy. As of September 2022, the Federal Government’s share of oil revenues to fund the budget was N535.5bn representing 32.6 per cent performance), while non-oil tax revenues totalled N1.71tn an outturn of 100.7 per cent compared to the budget projection.

“The non-oil revenue share of funding the Federal Government has improved. We have been able to move from contributing 35 per cent to the federal budget to contributing 73 per cent to the financing of the federal budget.”

Udom assented to the bill after it was presented to him by Attorney General of the State, Uko Udom, in the presence of the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Aniekan Bassey at the Government House in Uyo.

Akwa Ibom now joins Rivers, Bayelsa, Oyo, Ekiti, Abia, Lagos and Enugu as states with anti-open grazing legislation. It is the eighth state in southern Nigeria to enact the law.

Relevant authorities of government have been directed to ensure the law is enforced in the state by Governor Udom who also stated that culprits must be brought to book.

INEC Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, who disclosed this a statement issued on Monday, said the incident occurred on Sunday night days after the Commission’s office in Akwa Ibom was set ablaze by unknown men.

He said INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (INEC) for the State, Dr. Joseph Iloh, reported that the recently renovated office has been set ablaze.

The statement partly read: “The incident occurred late on Sunday night, 9th May 2021. There are no casualties on the part of our staff on guard duty but the building was virtually destroyed,”

“Apart from furniture items, all electoral materials and office equipment were destroyed. The matter has been reported to the police for investigation.”

“It will be recalled that only last week, the Commission reported an attack on its office in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State and expressed anxiety about the impact of such attacks on electoral activities, including the ongoing expansion of voter access to Polling Units, resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), pending bye-elections, end-of tenure elections and ultimately the 2023 General Election.

“The latest incident in Abia State is one too many. This is not the first attack on the Commission’s facilities in the State in recent times. Five months ago on 13th December 2020, the INEC LGA office in Aba South was completely burnt down while that of Arochukwu LGA was vandalised and ransacked in October 2020.

“These facilities are national assets, which must be protected. Accordingly, the Commission is convening an emergency meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) next week to discuss this disturbing trend.

“Meanwhile, the Commission wishes to reassure Nigerians that all activities in relation to the ongoing expansion of voter access to Polling Units and preparations for the resumption of CVR as well as all scheduled elections will proceed as planned.”

It was gathered that the men hiding in the truck loaded with cows were intercepted by Abia State Homeland Security team led by the Commissioner for Homeland Security, Prince Dan Okoli at Enugu – Abia border along the Enugu -Port Harcourt Highway.

He said “My men climbed inside the truck to search it, and then asked all of them to come out. There were about 11 of them (hiding at the back of the truck where the cattle were).  If we had turned back the cows, a lot of them may die on their way. When I discover new tricks they use to come in, I make sure I intimate my people for them to re-strategise We have to do everything possible to protect our people. The federal government has said that inter-state movement is prohibited, except for essential products or exempted persons – those who do some essential duties.”

IPOB spokesperson, Emma Powerful, said the state governors have been marked for attacks if they dare come abroad for any function.

He said “The Nuremberg IPOB family in Germany, in keeping with the long-standing directive from our leader to hound all instigators of the Operation Python Dance, is glad to report that Ike Ekweremadu was confronted and duly hounded out of a so-called New Yam Festival event in Germany. Despite repeated warnings to the organisers of this jamboree that Enugu, Ebonyi and other parts of ‘Biafraland’ is under siege by the Fulani caliphate and their collaborators within, they went ahead to invite a known traitor, co-conspirator and one of those who worked with Igbo governors to proscribe and tag IPOB a terror organisation while they never raised any voice against the murderous Fulani herdsmen. This should serve as a warning to Nnia Nwodo, Dave Umahi, Okezie Ikpeazu, Willie Obiano and others that any day we find them in a public event abroad, they will be humiliated. IPOB is strategically located in over 100 countries around the world. Anywhere we find them, they will be dealt with.”