President Bola Tinubu and his Vice, Senator Kashim Shettima, have differed over the setting up of commodities price control board by the federal government.

On Thursday, President Bola Tinubu met with 36 state governors and other top government functionaries to find lasting solution to the food crisis.

At the meeting which took place at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja, far reaching decisions were taken by the government, including a directive to the office of the National Security Adviser and other security agencies to clamp down in hoarders of food commodities.

Speaking at the meeting, Tinubu ruled out the possibility of establishing commodities price control board to monitor prices of food items in the country.

He said- “What I will not do is to set a price control board. I will not also approve the importation of food,”

The president’s stance was at variance with the position of the Vice President.

Nationwide Reports recall that Shettima had on Tuesday, this same week, hinted that the government was considering the possibility of setting up a price control board.

He said this at the opening of a two-day high-level strategic meeting on climate change, food systems, and resource mobilization which took place at the Banquet Hall of State House, Abuja.

Shettima said- “Our solution to the potential food crisis has become immediate, medium, and long-term strategies. The short-term strategy entails revitalising food supply through specific interventions, like the distribution of fertilisers and grains to farmers and households to counteract the effects of subsidy removal; fostering collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water Resources for efficient farmland irrigation, ensuring year-round food production; and addressing price volatility by establishing a National Commodity Board.

“This board will continually assess and regulate food prices, maintaining a strategic food reserve for stabilising prices of crucial grains and other food items.”

Briefing newsmen at the end of the meeting, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said far-reaching decisions were taken, including consideration of the need for the establishment of state police which would require constitutional amendment.

Idris said the meeting was at the instance of the president to intimate the state governors on recent developments, and what the federal government was doing. It was also to hear from the state governors and get their input on issues of development in the country.

He explained, “A lot of issues were discussed about the security situation in the country. The apparent food issue that the media has also been reporting about and some other measures that will help in improving the state of our nation.

“Now, the first point is that the governors and Mr. President have agreed to set up a committee to deepen the conversation that has happened at the just-concluded meeting.

“Of course, you know that it is impossible to complete most of the issues that were raised at the meeting. So it is going to be a continuous one.

“Secondly, Mr. President and the governors have agreed that these kinds of meetings will continue in the interest of our nation.

“It is important that all the time, the federal government and the state governors, who are leaders at the subnational level, continue to engage and interact collectively so that issues of national importance will continue to be addressed, and we don’t leave room for any speculation or for people who may seize the opportunity to say things that are not in the interest of our country.

Idris, who was in company with the governors of Plateau, Kaduna, and Delta states, and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communication, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, further said Tinubu also called on the state governors to join hands with the federal government to do more for the people, especially the youth population.