Governor of Oyo State, Engr, Seyi Makinde, in anger, has told President Bola Ahmed Bola Tinubu to listen to people and amend his policies, if they are not working.

Makinde, who was speaking in Iseyin during the commissioning of the reconstructed Iseyin Central Mosque in Iseyin area of Oke-Ogun, insisted that it is the responsibility of the federal government to manage the fiscal policies of the economy.

Makinde who maintained that he would remain angry in as much as his people are angry, insisted that hunger and anger are real in the land and must be addressed.

According to him, the state governors have cooperated with the federal government in the current economic situation, revealed that they have refused to share some monies in order to manage the inflationary trend in the country.

"We need to engage with our people, if our policies are not working, we need to listen to them and emend.

“We cooperated with the federal government, it is the responsibility of the Federal Government to manage the fiscal situation in Nigeria. We left a lot of money that should be shared, we said, ‘keep it, so that we can manage the inflationary trend in the country.’

“So, we have been transparent about everything we are doing here in Oyo State and this is the time for us to come together as a nation and solve the problems we are facing, it is not the time for playing games and propaganda. Hunger, hanger, they are real and as leaders we must address it.

“Sorry if I appear angry, if my people are angry, I will be angry also. But I will continue to give confidence to our people, to let them know what we are doing, to seek their support, key in into those things.”

Makinde debunked the claim by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, that the Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS, disbursed N30b to each state for food security, describing the statement as a propaganda and looking for a scape goat.

The Governors wondered why the President of the Senate will rely on an unconfirmed report, adding that he could speak for himself and other governors in the country that no such money was disbursed to the State.

Makinde said the FIRS cannot give any money to any state, and that all revenues go directly into the federation account where allocations are given to each state.

“This is not the time to play politics, we have real issue that need real solution. Yesterday, I saw in the news where the Senate President made a statement, though he said it is an unverified report, that the state governors have received additional N30b from the FIRS, outside our statutory allocation in the last few months from the federal government to address food security.

"I can speak for Oyo State and I can also speak for any of my colleagues because as the Vice Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum, I know when things happen. If we want to play politics, we will keep quiet and say let it slide, but we are not going to let this slide.

"First, FIRS cannot give money to any state, it is not possible. All revenue accruing to our country goes into the federation account and it is distributed to all the tiers of government. The FG does not give money to the state, the money in the federation account belong to all of us, and it is not only to the FG.

"So, if a Senate President, number three citizen in this country will say unverified report, people are looking at us as leaders. This is the period that we are supposed to give confidence to our people, it is not the time to start playing politics and to start looking for scape goat.

“If the number three citizen says this is an unverified report, why does he need to say it then? Does the give confidence to our people or does it solve the problem of hunger and anger in our land?

"Let me say it clearly, for Oyo State and my colleagues, there is nothing like N30b being given for food security to the state and I stand to be challenged."

According to him, the FG only promised to give the states N5b, out of which only N2b has been released, adding that the FG was already asking for refund of the N2b.

“Let me make it clear that the federal government promised the states N5b, out of that N5b, they only paid N2b and they are even asking that the N2b should be refunded right now.”