Legislature
NILDS counters AGF over Alleged N375.8million Vehicle Purchased in 2016
A recent claim made by the Office of Auditor General of the Federation on alleged N375.8million vehicle purchase by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in 2016 has been debunked by the institute
The AGF had in the 2016 Audit Report, alleged that NILDS cornered N36 million from inflation of prices of 11 vehicles it purchased in the year totalling N375.8million .
AGF in the Audit report, also alleged that NILDS under the leadership of Professor Ladi Hamalai, also illegally paid N67million into another account.
The query reads, “At the National Institute for Legislative Studies, it was observed that 11 (eleven) motor vehicles were purchased at a contract sum of N375,867,000.00 (Three hundred and seventy-five million, eight hundred and sixty-seven thousand naira) in April 2016. Examination of the Capital Account Cashbook revealed that an additional sum of N36,610,000.00 (Thirty-six million, six hundred and ten thousand naira) was paid in favour of the contractor in September 2016 under the same contract, without approval.
“The Management of the Institute should justify the overpayment, which is in excess of the contract sum, otherwise the sum of N36,610,000.00 (Thirty-six million, six hundred and ten thousand naira) overpaid should be recovered from the contractor and recovery particulars forwarded for verification.”
Another query reads, “Payments totalling ₦67,296,478.00 (Sixty-seven million, two hundred and ninety-six thousand, four hundred and seventy-eight naira) were revealed to be made to payees other than the payees specified in the payment vouchers.
“This is contrary to the provision of FR 613 which stipulated that “Payments shall be made only to the persons named in the vouchers or their properly authorized representatives. This irregularity could result to diversion and misappropriation of government funds.
“The Director-General is required to recover the total sum of ₦67,296,478.00 (Sixty-seven million, two hundred and ninety-six thousand, four hundred and seventy-eight naira) and refund back to Treasury with evidence of recovery forwarded to my office. 88 Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation.”
But, NILDS in its response to the queries as made available by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, investigating the queries, said the alleged N36million difference in the vehicles purchase arose from price variation due to change in the model of the vehicle supplied and was done with full approval of appropriate authorities and in line with laid down proceses and procedures.
The Institute on the alleged N67million paid to payees not on vouchers, said the infraction has been sorted out with the contractors who supplied the vehicles.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Mathew Urhoghide (PDP Edo South), has directed the Clerk of the Committee to invite NILDS management for physical appearance and defence of the queries.
The Senate has urged the Federal Government to henceforth withhold statutory allocation to the Local Governments Councils(LGC) without democratically elected leaders
In the last three months of August, September and October the Local Governments received N702.647b out of N1.006 shared for the three tiers of government in the period under review.
The legality or otherwise of the Federal Governmemt’s power to enforce the Senate’s recommendation is left for legal experts to analyse
The Senate’s recommendation came after debate on the Urgent Need to halt the erosion of democracy: the dissolution of elected Councils in Benue State sponsored by Sen. Moro, Abba Patrick (Benne South)
The senate condemned the arbitrary dissolution of democratically elected Local Government Councils in Benue and other states in Nigeria
It also resolved to urge the Federal Government to review the Benue State governor’s dissolution of the elected councils and constitution of caretaker committees and reinstate the elected council executive forthwith.
The upper legislative chamber urged the governor of Benue state to adhere to his oath of office to obey the rule of law and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
While leading the debate Senator Moro he was dismayed by the dissolution of Democratically Elected Councils in Benue State,
According to him, replacing the elected chairmen with Caretaker Committees to is an aberration and alien to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended)
Quoting Section (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) he said it guarantees a system of local government by Democratically Elected Councils.
He insisted that it is the Constitutional responsibility of every state to ensure the existence of Local
Government Councils by law.
He indicated that there are subsisting court rulings directing the Governor, the House of Assembly, their agents, privies etc not to tamper with the tenure of the elected Councils
He therefore challenged the Governor/Government of Benue State to first appeale the outstanding judgments which has not been done adding that it is against the grain of the rule of law
Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North) pointed out thatabout 16 states in Nigeria are currently without democratically elected council officials.
He urged the Senate to direct the Finance Minister to stop funding LGS without elected council officials.
Oshiomhole’s suggestion was supported by Senator Ali Ndume.
The senator representing Oyo North, Abdulfatai Buhari indicated that the Electoral Act should be amended to empower the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct local government elections.
The President of the senate Godswill Akpabio also frowned at the establishment of multiple federal agencies but advocated the creation of the National Electoral Commission for Local Government so that governors would no longer have overbearing influence on council polls
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked the Senate to give him the authorization to borrow $8,699,168,559 and €100 million to carryout critical projects across the country.
The president’s request was contained in a letter read at the commencement of plenary on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Tinubu, in the letter, explained that the request was part of the federal government 2022-2024 external borrowing plan approved by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
He said the projects to be funded with the loan cuts across different sectors of the economy, and were selected based on economic evaluation and the expected contribution to the country’s development.
The letter reads, “I write in respect of the above subject and to submit the attached the federal government 2022-2024 external borrowing plan for consideration and early approval of the National Assembly to ensure prompt implementation of the projects.
“The Senate may wish to note that the past administration approved a 2022-2024 borrowing plan by the federal executive council (FEC) held on May 15, 2023.
“The projects cut across all sectors, with specific emphasis on infrastructure, agriculture, health, water supply, roads, security, and employment generation as well as financial management reforms.
“Consequently, the required approval is in the sum of $8,699,168,559 and €100 million.
“I would like to underscore the fact that the projects and programmes in the borrowing plan were selected based on economic evaluations as well as the expected contribution to the social economic development of the country, including employment generation, and skills acquisition.
“Given the nature of these facilities, and the need to return the country to normalcy, it has become necessary for the Senate to consider and approve the 2022- 2024 external abridged borrowing plan to enable the government deliver its responsibility to Nigerians.”
***Plead with Tinubu to restore electricity supply to Niger
The Northern Senators Forum on Monday called on President Bola Tinubu to as a matter of Urgency use his position as Chairman of ECOWAS to lift restrictions on Niger Republic in the interest of business and border community
They also demanded that Nigeria restore electricity supply to Niger Republic in line with the Nigeria-Niger treaty mandate.
The senators had in July on the heels of the military forceful take over of the democratically elected government in Niger, cautioned President Tinubu against use of Military power towards tackling the military coup, as they called for diplomatic options.
A communique issued at the end of their emergency meeting which was read by the chairman of the forum, Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauch Central) stated, “The forum on very strong terms condemn the spate of Military intervention in the democratic spaces in the West African subregion.
“The Northern Senators Forum in particular condemns the coup in Niger and urged the military junta in Niger to soften the relationship with the rest of ECOWAS military by setting free President Muhammed Bazoum and his immediate family to freely choose a country of his choice for asylum
They further urged the junta in Niger to bring about a transition time table that will last not more than two years.
They ask ECOWAS to lift restrictions on Niger Republic in the interest of business and border community.
“It is important that Nigeriens should not suffer because of the coup that took place just like we have seen what is happening in Gaza
“We ask the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Commander in chief of the Armed forces and of course the chairman of ECOWAS, President Muhammed Bola Tinubu to as a matter of humanitarian gesture restore electricity supply to Niger Republic in line with the Nigeria-Niger treaty mandate.
Ningi called on Nigerians and Nigerien to remember that they remain brothers, partners and Africans and above all, we remain human beings
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