House of Representatives has directed its committees on Ethics and Privileges, and Finance to seek explanations on the alleged Nigeria’s payment of $460 million to the United States of America for the supply arms, without appropriation of such funds by the National Assembly.
This came as a member, Toby Okechukwu at the House’s plenary yesterday raised a point of order to the effect that his personal as well as the collective privileges of the House has been breached, as executive arm of the federal government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Bihari, has formed the habit of “taking over the power to appropriate funds” from the consolidated revenue fund of the country, as enshrined in the constitution.
The lawmaker, citing Sections 4 and 80 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and the Legislative Powers and Privileges Act, argued that with such practices of unilateral expenditure without recourse to the parliament, “there is no way you can ensure value for money without scrutiny of the National Assembly.”
Ruling on the matter, Speaker Yakubu Digara described the allegation as “a very serious matter” which needed to be ascertained before the House takes a position. “It can be regarded as stealing for any money to be spent from the From page 1 federation account, without approval of the National Assembly as required by the Constitution, but I don’t think the US will receive stolen money,” he said. He, therefore, directed that the committee move to ascertain the allegation. The House Committee on Finance is currently in the process of investigating the alleged clandestine payment of subsidy on petrol, value for which is currently put at about N1.4 trillion, even after the current government said subsidy on the product had been abrogated, and also for reportedly doing so without approval of the National Assembly.
…Senate wants security chiefs sacked Meanwhile, senators yesterday called for immediate sack of heads of the various security agencies, particularly the Service Chiefs who they said have run out of ideas following the unending killings in the land.
The call for the sack of the security chiefs was made during a marathon debate on renewed killings by herdsmen and criminal militia groups in Nasarawa state sponsored through a motion by Senator Suleiman Adokwe (PDP Nasarawa South). The lawmakers submitted that as a result of the unending killings in the land, Nigerians were increasingly becoming disappointed and frustrated over government’s failings and inactions on the spate of insecurity, which according to them, endangering democracy. Contributing to debate on the matter, Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan (APC, Lagos state) made it very clear that there was need to inject fresh ideas into how the security problems in the country can be remedied. Senator Adeola noted that there is no where that is safe in Nigeria with the daily killings that the nation is regaled with.
“The security situation has not improved and what the president need at this time is fresh ideas on how to tackle numerous security challenges confronting the nation” the senator stated. He argued that the only way to get fresh ideas for the President to address the security challenges is to remove the incumbent service chiefs to give room for those with fresh ideas stressing that the nation should do away with unproductive tenure elongation in areas where fresh ideas are needed. “We know the way the military organisation operates.
Those with fresh ideas dare not come out against their superiors or else they risk premature retirement from service. So the current service chiefs should go to allow officers with fresh ideas address our alarming security issues” he stated. Also speaking, Senator Jeremiah Useni (PDP, Plateau state) identified the constant clashes among security agencies as part of the security problems. He was of the opinion that heads of such agencies be removed to pave way for more harmonious relationship among security agencies.
Also contributing, Senator Barnabas Gemade (APC, Benue state) stated that this country is becoming a state without control, a state that is experiencing anarchy and a state in which we have seen ethnic cleansing. According to him, “it is a shame that a sitting government could watch criminality go to the level that we have seen it today and rather than rise up and take very decisive steps against it, we embark on deniability and simply shield this evil by just explaining with flimsy excuses that these are communal clashes in those communities.” “I don’t understand why responsible people elected to control the governments of Nigeria will simply turn away from the reality of facing this matter squarely.
And the InspectorGeneral will fly by helicopter to a town, land in the market square and be asking people whether there is militia in this town or not. And nobody whatsoever seems to call anybody to order. This is very sad. We have done enough of a minute silence for innocent Nigerians being killed.” Ruling on the motion, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu noted that “the primary purpose of government anywhere in the world is the preservation of the lives of citizens. If citizens are being killed, we owe the responsibility as a parliament to give it the desired attention. And we will never stop talking about these killings. Unless it stops, we will never be tired of speaking about it.”
