European Union (EU) on Tuesday unveiled plans to support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the sum of £10 million in the ongoing electoral process reform.
Michel Arrion, EU Ambassador to Nigeria disclosed this during an interactive session with Senator Ahmad Lawan, Senate Leader and Godswill Akpabio, Minority Leader during Study Visit to National Assembly organised by National Institute of Legislative Studies (NILS) for EU Parliament delegation.
To this end, he solicited for the support of the National Assembly on the need to amend the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.
Speaking on the global support for the North East region, Arrion explained that one of the stakeholders he related with on resumption of office in 2013 was Governor Kasim Shettima of Borno state.
He explained that the EU has assisted Nigeria in the funding of the Coordination Centre saddled with the responsibility of coordinating the North East support, adding that the World Food Programme is working towards ensuring adequate supply of food items to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the region.
The EU Envoy who applauded ongoing efforts by President Muhammadu Buhari and various agencies towards alleviating the sufferings of the IDPs, solicited for the intervention of the Legislature by ensuring regular interface with the State Governments in the bid to ensure effective coordination of North East initiative.
In his remarks, Santiago Fisas, member of EU Parliament who led the delegation explained that the EU has over the past 15 years provide support for Nigeria’s electoral system and other sectors including Police and crime, judiciary, among others.
While responding, Senator Ahmad Lawan, Senate Leader stressed the need for Nigeria to track and ensure proper coordination of all foreign assistance coming into the country.
Senator Lawan (APC-Yobe) who stated this during an interactive session with the understocked ongoing efforts by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration towards getting the country out of economic recession.
The Senate Leader who was accompanied by Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio (PDP-Akwa Ibom) expressed concern over the allegations surrounding the N30 billion and $40 million foreign supports provided for the IDPs in the North East region, without commesurate result.
He also solicited for the assistance of the EU Parliament in in the areas of capacity building in the areas of budget cycle, parliamentary committee best practices, for the Federal Legislators in the Senate and House of Representatives.
According to him, the two chambers unanimously resolve to embark on three weeks break to enable them scrutinise the 2017 budget proposal presented by President Buhari to the joint session of the National Assembly.
While stressing that the Parliament will exercise “the power of the purse” Senator Lawan noted that the Appropriation bill remaims the most important bill ever, adding that the Legislature will do all within its constitutional powers to appropriate funds to critical sectors for the benefits of ordinary Nigerian.
Senator Lawan who served as chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts between 2007 to 2015, explained that the National Assembly has the responsibility to checkmate the excessive side of the MDAs.
To this end, he stressed the need for the assistance of the EU Parliament of in the areas of coordination of donations to the North East region and IDPs.
He noted that the leadership of the Senate has put in place dual committees on that will investigate the donations to North East as well as another Ad-hoc Committee to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the Southern Kaduna crisis with the view to find lasting solution to the challenges.
Speaking earlier, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Minority Leader pledged support of the opposition party towards delivering the dividend of democracy to the citizenry.
“Our job is to assist the Federal Government, the Senate President and the Senate Leader to make laws that will get Nigeria out of recession. We are not going to play destructive opposition,” the Minority Leader assured.
