Kufreabasi Etuk, a former member of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, has identified powers wielded by governors as excessive, saying it is inimical to democratic practice in the country.
Etuk, who represented Uruan State Constituency and was unsuccessful in his bid to return to the state assembly, accused the governors of manipulating the local government, the legislature and judiciary, adding that by so doing, it had hampered the growth of democracy in the country.
He said it was hypocritical for the former governors who are now senators to demand independence of the legislature at the national level when they failed to grant such powers to legislatures in their states.
“Even as a legislator, the former governor of Akwa Ibom State did not disclose to us the total amount of money spent on the construction of key projects,’’ he said, adding that state governments should set up institutions to look into how monies were spent by previous administrations.
“The States can borrow a leaf from what the Federal Government is doing. There should be institutions to check how some monies that accrued to the states were spent. By so doing, such institutions would be strengthened and funds stolen or misappropriated recovered.’’
The former legislator who spoke in Uyo, the state capital, said prudent management of public funds is the only way out of the current economic hardship facing the country including the states.
He blamed the resurgence of militant activities in the Niger Delta on the decision by former President Goodluck Jonathan to engage the services of militants in protecting oil facilities in the region.
While condemning the agitation by the Niger Delta Avengers as politically motivated, the former lawmaker urged the militants to dialogue with the Federal Government towards addressing their grievances.
“When former governor Victor Attah negotiated for 13 percent derivation for oil producing states, he did not use guns and no single life was lost. Destroying your environment because you need something from the government is a crude technique.”
Etuk called on Nigerians and Akwa Ibom people to support the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and Udom Emmanuel. He thanked the Akwa Ibom State government for completing the hatchery project initiated by the last administration and called for the construction of the road leading to the hatchery, which is located in Uruan local government area.
