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The Senate on Tuesday summoned the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun; Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele and Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali over alleged illegal withdrawal of $462 million from the Consolidated Revenue Account.
The amount was allegedly withdrawn from the Consolidated Federation Account for the purchase of helicopters from an American company without National Assembly approval.
This followed a motion moved by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Samuel Anyanwu (PDP, Imo) at Tuesday plenary.
According to the lawmaker, the approval contravenes Section 80 (2) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The provision provides that: “No moneys shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation except to meet expenditure that is charged upon the fund by this Constitution or where the issue of those moneys has been authorised by an Appropriation Act, Supplementary Appropriation Act or an Act passed in pursuance of section 81 of this Constitution.
“No moneys shall be withdrawn from any public fund of the Federation, other than the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, unless the issue of those moneys has been authorised by an Act of the National Assembly.
Anyanwu who frowned at the illegal withdrawal therefore urged the Senate to invite the three senior government officials to throw more light on the issue.
Relying on Order 43 of the Senate Standing Orders, he said: “I have it on good authority that in March 2018, from the Federal Account, a whooping sum of $462 million was withdrawn and paid for helicopter to an American firm without the approval of the National Assembly. And I know there was no time there was any request from this Senate for any of such withdrawal from the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federation.
“As a sitting senator of this place, I want to find out how this thing was done. I will suggest that we invite the CBN Governor, Minister of Finance and Minister of Defence to tell us how this money was withdrawn and paid to an American company without the approval of this Senate”.
Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, put the request to voice vote and it was unanimously granted.
He referred the matter to the Committee on Appropriations, which would invite the three government officials, and report back within one week.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
