Sunday Aborisade, Abuja

The Campaign for Democracy on Sunday appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to pay the salary arrears being owed civil servants in states across the country from the N350bn that his government planned to inject into the economy.

The CD, in a statement by its President, Ifeanyi Odili, in Abuja, warned the Federal Government against releasing the money to the state governors to avoid diversion for other purposes that might not benefit the workers directly.

The statement read in part, “President Buhari should not commit another blunder by releasing all the proposed N350bn to run government at different tiers to state governors. Rather, he should release part of the money to the Ministry of Finance for the payment of state workers who are being heavily owed by their state governors.

“Such money should not be released to states governors as it will be diverted to private use, such as elections and unwanted projects. It is heavenly-condemned to delay workers wages.

“It is high time Buhari intervened in workers welfare in the states as their contributions to the change mantra were of no small measure and they should not be paid back with evil. Their well-being should be given utmost attention.

“The money should, therefore, be paid to the workers directly from the office of the finance minister and Accountant-General of the Federation. This might be unconstitutional but at times, you cannot solve such problems constitutionally as it requires urgent attention.”

The group also called on Buhari to remain focused and face the reality of governance by ignoring the hypocrisy of some of his party loyalists, who have started a campaign for his second term.