WED, APRIL 25 2018-theG&BJournal-A political pundit who spoke to theG&BJournal says the $450 million withdrawal by the Presidency from the Federation Account amounts to stealing from the three tiers of government and must be viewed as a criminal act first when the National Assembly (NASS) begins its deliberation on the matter.
He said nobody has the authority except as stipulated under sections 80 and 81 of the constitution which enables any withdrawal after the approval of the National Assembly and added that nobody equally has a right to tamper with the account except after applying for it in accordance with the revenue allocation formula.
“The withdrawal is illegal,” he said “and sending a letter to the NASS does not cure the illegality because the money belongs to the three tiers of government. The President must be made to understand the limits of his powers.”
Several Members of the House of Representatives have reacted also in protest to the letter directed to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara by President Muhammadu Buhari seeking for a supplementary input into the 2018 Appropriation Bill, the sum of $496 Million which has already been withdrawn from the Federation’s treasury and transferred into an account belonging to the government of the United States of America for purposes of purchasing military hardware and fighting jets.
The President explained in the letter read to the lawmakers during plenary session on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 that due to some exigencies surrounding the situation, the money had to be transferred before recourse to the legislature.
Hon. Kingsley Chinda rose to cite section 80 (2, 3 and 4) while opining that the Constitution does not give room for such method of approval; he noted that the action is unbecoming of the Executive arm of government.
However, some Members were of the opinion that since the 2018 budget has not yet been passed, no much harm has been done. The Chairman, Committee on Rules and Business, Hon. Emmanuel Oke-jev informed that certain provisions of the House Standing Orders allows for accommodation or concessions in issues such as this.
Nonetheless, drawing from House Order VII, Rule 2(1),the Speaker ruled that the matter be listed in the order paper and slated for deliberation on another legislative date.
