…As Reps warn: ‘There’ll be trouble if Buhari approves $1bn without NASS’***
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval of $1billion to procure military equipment to fight insurgency without recourse to the National Assembly.
Industry watchers recalled that the PDP as a party similarly requested and obtained $1bn 10 months before election, and squandered it on fighting reelection bids of former President Jonathan; a revelation which is still unfolding, at the EFCC.
The party made the condemnation in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan on Thursday in Abuja.
The money is to be drawn from the Excess Crude Account (ECA).
The PDP urged the National Assembly to commence appropriate constitutional legislative actions against the government for unilaterally approving the release of the fund without allowing application of legislative instrument.
It also called on Nigerians to reject the approval, saying it was renewed attempt to loot the sum to finance the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s national convention and 2019 campaigns.
It expressed concern that the same administration that had claimed having technically defeated the insurgents still approved such amount to fight insurgency.
“Democracy thrives on constitutional processes of separation of powers, due diligence and transparency and not on totalitarian tendencies.
“We therefore urge the National Assembly to look into the constitution and impose appropriate legislative instruments if any part of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) has been breached by this unilateral decision.
“We further urge the National Assembly to scrutinize the Constitution and other statute books for the purposes of strengthening the laws guiding the application of funds in our country.”
The party also demanded an independent investigation into the processes of release and utilization of all special funds for war against insurgency in the last three years.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives said, yesterday, that there would be trouble if President Muhammadu Buhari approves any money for arms procurement without approval by the National Assembly.
Chairman, House Committee on Army, Rimande Shawulu, who stated this yesterday, said the President lacks the constitutional powers to approve money for arms procurement without the mandate of the legislature, insisting that any such violation was bound to brew trouble between him and the National Assembly.
The Senate had on Wednesday, taken a swipe at the Presidency, saying the President lacks the powers to give approval for such money without approval from the legislature. Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Ben Murray-Bruce, had said: “It has not been approved, it is simply the choice of words.
The Presidency or the executive cannot spend a single kobo on such a mission unless the National Assembly approves that. “It is only when the Senate or National Assembly approves that the executive can go ahead to spend such money. The executive can only recommend and not to approve.”
This is even as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday tasked the National Assembly to commence appropriate constitutional legislative actions against President Buhari for gross misconduct over the matter. Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday alleged that unlike the PDP, the fund is not meant to finance 2019 polls.
Shawulu, who represents Donga/Ussa/Takum/Special Area Constituency of Taraba State, said there would be serious trouble, if any money goes out for such purpose without approval from the legislature. He spoke to reporters in Abuja, on the sidelines of the Second Procurement Awareness Seminar, organised by the Directorate of Procurement, Army Headquarters.
He said: “I can inform you that of recent, our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, gave approval for the purchase of more equipment for the military worth $1 billion, Dan-Ali was quoted to have said while responding to questions from newsmen on Wednesday at the State House.
“The fact of the matter is that there are processes for money coming into the federation account and for the money being used. And the point we must note too is that a lot of times, pronouncements are policy statements and the policy statements are not just executed, it’s not as if, when the announcement was made, the federation account was debited. No, it doesn’t happen that way. “When the President says he’s going to spend money, there’s a process that is followed before the money is spent. So, I want you to understand that, it’s not as if money has gone out.
“However, if money has gone out without parliamentary approval, that’s is a problem, it’s a very serious problem if money went out without parliamentary approval.” In his opening remarks on the occasion, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, said there was no gainsaying the fact that the operational capability of the Nigerian Army today depends on the availability of requisite hardware, highly trained personnel and other essential resources.
According to him, in the past few years, the Nigerian Army “has no doubt taken robust steps and put in place policies in enhancing its procurement plans and processes, with a view to meeting its constitutional roles.
Additional report from Vanguard
