A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Hon. Yekini Nabena, has called on President Bola Tinubu to approve relocation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to the Niger Delta region.
OsunDailyNG reports that the Federal Government had indicated interest in moving some departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, to Lagos State.
The development has however generated a lot of controversy, with Northern leaders opposing the move.
Nabena, in a statement issued Wednesday, noted that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should be moved to Benue State where agricultural produce are in abundance to justify the decision to move some departments of CBN and FAAN out of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
The APC chieftain claimed that Tinubu did not believe in one Nigeria before he emerged as President.
Nabena recalled that Tinubu granted an interview on April 11, 1997, which was titled “I don’t believe in one Nigeria – Tinubu”.
He insisted that the Presidency must come out clear on the real reasons for relocation of the two affected agencies and not the flimsy excuses given so far.
According to him, federal agencies are symbols of Nigerian unity and should not be played with.
Nabena said: “If efficiency of these agencies is the main reason for the plan to relocate them to Lagos State, we from the Niger Delta are also asking that the NNPCL, NIMASA, NPA and others will be more effective in either Bayelsa, Rivers or Delta states.
“In the same way, the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel should be moved to Kogi State where we have the Ajaokuta Steel for efficiency.
“I also believe that the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment should either be relocated to Kano or Anambra states where trade is done in high proportion.
“In the same way, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture should be taken to Benue State, the food basket of the bation.”
The APC chieftain expressed shock that the National Assembly was keeping quiet over some developments going on in the country, adding that the leadership of the 10th Assembly must tell the Nigerian public where the Christmas money they shared came from.
He said: “Nigeria is being looted within six months of this government and the National Assembly is keeping quiet as if nothing is happening.
“The National Assembly has not seen anything wrong in the Betta Edu scandal where billions of our patrimony is being played with.”
