Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang, said yesterday that President Muhammadu Buhari has powers to spend $496 million for the purchase of military aircraft without the approval of the National Assembly.

spokesman of the President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation, Festus Keyamo, SAN, said the President, in withdrawing $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account, ECA, acted under the doctrine of necessity, and that his action was justifiable.

The presidential aide explained that what was pending before the legislature was a request to include the sum in the 2018 budget, adding that the National Executive Council, NEC, had approved the expenditure in December, 2017.

He further said that it was legal to spend money from a budget yet to be passed in anticipation of approval. Enag said: “The law and the constitution recognize contingencies. And when we finish collating what is needed for the balance of the $1 billion, after $496 million, we will bring a supplementary budget before the legislature.

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