Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has explained that state governors resolved to approve $1 billion for national security, after a National Security Summit organised by the National Economic Council (NEC).
Osinbajo, who also chairs NEC, gave the explanation at the opening of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation/Secretaries to State Governments’ retreat at the State House Conference Centre (Old Banquet Hall), in Abuja, yesterday. “It was after a national security summit of the NEC that governors, at their forum (Nigeria Governors Forum), decided to approve some money for national security,” the vice president said.
Last Wednesday, Osinbajo met with governors on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC), in his office, before commencement of an NGF meetingwhich held same day. The meeting with Osinbajo started at about 7:30pm ended at about 8:45pm, while that of the NGF held thereafter. Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo told State House Correspondents, after last week’s NEC meeting that the NGF authorised the Federal Government to withdraw $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account (ECA), to fight insurgency.
Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, and the Peoples Democratic Party have kicked against it. Fayose specifically said he was not privy to the decision of his colleagues.
In a related development, 16 Ekiti local government chairmen have instituted a class action against government.
The chairmen have sued the Attorney General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Shehu Malami and governors of the 36 states, over the $1 billion ECA approval.
The chairmen are: Deji Ogunsakin (Ado); Bola Alonge (Ikere); Lanrewaju Omolase (Ekiti South West); Dapo Olagunju (Irepodun/Ifelodun); Samuel Adeniyi (Ekiti East); Olumide Falade (Ise/Orun); Sade Akinrinmola (Gbonyin); Tayo Ogundare (Oye); Chief Ayodeji Arogbodo (Ido/Osi) and Taiwo Oguntuase (Emure). The rest are Kolawole Omotunde (Ekiti West); Bolaji Jeje (Efon); Adesola Adeyanju (Ikole); Ganiyu Bakare (Ilejemele); Adeniyi Adebayo (Moba) and Abiodun Dada (Ijero).
They want an order of injunction restraining government and the governors, their agents, servants, privies, representatives in interest, from giving effect to the appropriation and/or approval of appropriation of $1 billion or any other sum, whatsoever, from the ECA, as contained in the decision made on December 15, 2017.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1264/17, the council chairmen asked the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to declare the approval, without their consent, is ultra vires, unlawful, null and void. The suit, which was filed, yesterday, at the registry of the court, by their counsel, Ola Olanikpekun (SAN), also listed the RMAFC as defendant.
The suit, which is yet to be assigned to any judge for adjudication, is supported by a 14-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Everest Igweokolo, a litigation executive in the law firm of Messrs Ola Olanikpekun.
Meanwhile, Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Onofiok Luke has asked the federal government to facilitate the full release of the $1 billion Ogoni clean-up fund, just as $1 billion would be released by government, to, among other things, tackle Boko Haram in the North East.
|Sun
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