The Chairman, Nigerian

Governors Forum, Alhaji Abdulazeez Yari, on

Friday said no governor has the right to touch

local government’s funds.

Yari, who is the Zamfara State governor, spoke

with journalists shortly after he met with

President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential

Villa, Abuja.

The governor said Section 7 of the Constitution

saddled the state Houses of Assembly with the

responsibility of managing states’ finances.

He said to the best of his understanding as a

governor, the purpose of joint accounts between

states and local governments was not to hold on

to funds meant for the councils.

He doubted if any state government was holding

on to funds meant for councils, insisting that

such situation is illegal.

Yari said, “I doubt if there is any state that is

holding any local government funds.

“What used to happen in Zamfara State is, may

be, if we have a project, we agree on how to

execute it.

“So, no governor has the right to touch local

government’s money.

“Although there are speculations that some

states are holding local government money,

maybe because there are no election in those

local governments, it is administrators, but

constitutionally, it is the right of local

government which must be exercised.”

Yari also disclosed that his administration was

making progress in terms of security, adding that

security agents had recovered over 3,000 herds

and 5,000 camels earlier stolen in the state.