Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, on Friday described the “Good Governance Tour” led by the Minister of Information Labaran Maku as “a big scam”.
Maku is on a visit to states across the federation with a large delegation of officials, journalists and civil groups to highlight projects achieved by the federal and state governments.
Speaking with newsmen in Benin at the Edo State Press Centre after visiting the Benin Moat, Soyinka praised the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, for refusing to fund the team’s visit to Edo State.
“I am happy that Oshiomhole told the leader of the Good Governance Tour, Labaran Maku, to go to hell. It is a big scam,” Mr. Soyinka said in response to a question from journalists who sought his views on the tour.
Governor Oshiomhole had on Tuesday at a seminar on tax laws in the state disclosed that he had rejected a multi-million naira proposal asking him to pay for the Tour.
According to him, “It is not proper to use Edo State tax payers’ money to finance a Federal Government programme. If they pay me a courtesy visit, I will receive them, but I don’t have a dime to spend on them because I do not need them to come to tell Edo people how I built roads and schools. My achievement speaks for me.”.
The tour however continues as the team insist that it was an idea of all the 36 state governors.
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