A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has urged state governors to be sincere to President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to end economic hardship in the country.

Mr Oyintiloye said that the sincerity of the state governors to the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President, irrespective of political affiliations, would put the country on the path of economic prosperity.

The APC chieftain made the remarks while speaking with journalists on Sunday in Osogbo.

He said with the various intervention funds by the Federal Government to states since the removal of fuel subsidies, it was clear that governors needed to do more to assist the President in meeting the expectations of Nigerians.

Mr Oyintiloye, a former lawmaker in the state, said governors must show more commitment to the welfare of the people, by working for the success of the interventions, rather than being suspected to be lagging behind.

According to him, the various financial interventions by the Federal Government to the states to alleviate poverty have not reflected in the overall well being of the citizens.

Mr Oyintiloye, a member of the defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council, said without the sincere support of the governors, the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President for the masses might be difficult to achieve.

He said the allegation levelled against some governors of diverting and repackaging of rice and other grains sent to the states by the Federal Government to alleviate the suffering of the masses was worrisome.

“If truly some of the governors are sincere with the President in the delivery of good governance, the recent hunger protest could have been averted. For us to move forward and to minimise poverty, the governors must be ready to support the President.

“Although, there are some governors who are doing their best to support the President, but they are being suspected of not doing enough. The whole burden cannot be on the President alone, the sincerity of the governor is important, especially by cutting wasteful spending and corrupt acts. It is not a time for buck passing. Masses are at the mercy of our governors. They are the ones we can see easily. The President is obviously doing a lot to alleviate the sufferings of the masses, but can this be said of the governors,” he queried.

Mr Oyintiloye said though various unavoidable policies by the President to rejig the economy might be creating pains at the moment, the overall benefits would be “a great blessing to the masses.”

He noted that the recent hunger protest, which led to the looting, killing and destruction of property, was not a solution to the country’s problems.

Mr Oyintiloye, however, appealed to Nigerians to give the President more time to fulfil his electoral promises, noting that 12 months was too small to rectify years of rot in the country’s economy.

(NAN)