By Haruna Salami
The Senate on Wednesday, amidst controversy, approved the refund of N10. 069 billion to Kogi State Government for projects it executed on behalf of the Federal Government.
This followed the approval of the report of Senate committee on local and foreign debts on the issuance of N10. 069 billion promissory notes programme to Kogi State Government and a bond issuance to settle inherited local debts and contractual obligations of the Federal Government.
It will be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had requested the Senate to approve the said amount for projects the state executed on behalf of the Federal government.
However, at today’s plenary, controversy ensued when the chairman of Senate Committee on local and foreign debts, Senator Clifford Ordia presented his report. The order paper of the day slated the report to be laid, but the President of Senate, Ahmad Lawan insisted that the report would be laid and considered at once.
This didn’t go own well with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP who saw it as a way to give money to Governor Yahaya Bello to prosecute his election next week.
The Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe said he had the mandate of his colleagues in PDP that the approval be delayed for one week to ensure that the money was not used for other purposes, apparently referring to this Saturday’s gubernatorial election where Bello is seeking reelection.
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