Ekiti got only N8.8bn as first tranche of Paris Club refund – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has dismissed claim

by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State that N9.5 billion

was received by the State as first tranche of the Paris Club refund,

saying that “Ekiti State and the 16 Local Councils received N8.8

billion out of which the State got N5.4 Billion and the Local Councils

got N3.4 billion and no kobo has been received as second tranche of

the refund by any State in the country.”
In a release issued on Wednesday by State publicity Secretary of the

party, Mr Jackson Adebayo, the party said Nigerians were aware of the

fact that the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) hired a team of

consultants to help secure the repayment of the over-deducted funds

from the Federal Government when the FG was dragging its feet on the

issue.
“It is even an irony that States and Local Councils in Nigeria are

being treated like beggars on the refund of money belonging to them

that was illegally deducted by the federal government. It is sad that

instead of the federal government refunding the money it illegally

deducted with apology to the States and Local Councils, it is the one

giving terms,” the PDP said.
The party said it was funny that the same APC that ran the State

aground, plunging the State into the debt that has caused financial

embarrassment to the State during its four years rule is the one

trying to get back to the minds of Ekiti people through false

information.
“Everyone in Nigeria would also recollect that the consultants

collected a certain percentage of the funds released to the 36 States

of the federation and the FCT as consultancy fees and the issue of

consultancy fees became a national issue as the Economic and Financial

Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigated the matter for several months,”

the party said.
The PDP also urged those behind the deliberate misinformation to

endeavour to find out what other States got as against the report by

the Federal Ministry of Finance.
“Lagos State received N14.5 billion while the Federal Ministry of

Finance’s report indicated that Lagos State got N16.7 billion,” it

said.
The party urged the people of the State to always ignore the lies and

machinations of the APC that is brandishing different figures of the

Paris debt refund to Ekiti State, challenging the mischief makers to

come forward with evidence, particularly and account into which the

fund was deposited.
“Governor Ayodele Fayose has remained transparent in allocations that

come to the State and this Paris Club refund case will not be

different. He has told the workers expressly that when the second

tranche of the Paris Club refund comes, he will call them together,

present it before them and deliberate on how best to defray salaries

owed.
“The governor has assured the workers that he will continue to deal

with them with all honesty and will make frantic efforts to ensure

that salaries are paid,” the PDP said.