The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has raised concerns over the approval of $1bn for the procurement of security equipment for the military.
Fayose alleged that “pooling of public funds for the ac of funding President Buhari’s re-election, as well as the coming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.”
The governor sought to know if the $1bn was from the Excess Crude Account.
He contented, “It will be illegal and against the principle of federalism that operates in Nigeria for the President, who is the head of just one of the federating units, to approve spending of fund belonging to the three tiers of government without the consent of heads of other federating units.”
In a statement by Fayose’s Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka said, “When did the National Assembly approve the spending of the $1bn? Or can the President spend $1bn belonging to Nigerians without the approval of the National Assembly?”
Fayose queried the use of the money after the Federal Government said it had defeated Boko Haram.
He said, “The question the Federal Government must answer is; which insurgency are they buying arms worth N370bn to fight? Is it the same Boko Haram that they told Nigerians that they have completely defeated?
“Since they said they have defeated Boko Haram, and later told Nigerians that they have a ceasefire agreement with the insurgents, what else do they need $1bn (over N370bn) for, if not to fund the 2019 elections?
“Also, up till now, the government has yet to give satisfactory explanations as to the abduction and return of Dapchi schoolgirls.
“With the hurried approval of $1bn, is it not being reinforced that the Boko Haram insurgency has become a source of looting public fund by this government?
“It is on record that Transparency International once said in its report that some top military officials in the country were feeding fat from the war against Boko Haram by creating fake contracts and laundering the proceeds in the United States, United Kingdom and elsewhere.”
