The National Assembly has declined President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for the approval of the sum of $496 million for the procurement of Super Tucano aircfraft from the United States Government and include the spending in the 2018 Appropriation Bill.

The president, via a letter dated 13th April, 2018 and sent to the Senate and House of Representatives, confirmed giving anticipatory approval for the payment of $496 million out of the $1 billion to be withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account.

Prior to the transmission of the letter to the National Assembly, the sum of $496 million had been paid into the US Treasury, a development which most Nigerian lawmakers across party lines frowned at.

Worried by the development, the lawmakers who accused the President of usurping the powers of the National Assembly, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended), threatened to initiate moves for Buhari’s impeachment.

Most of the lawmakers from the House of Representatives also faulted the communication procedure adopted by the Presidency.Thus, the leadership of the House mandated its Committee on Rules and Business to ascertain whether there was a precedence for such arbitrary approval in other climes.

Timothy Golu, chairman, House Committee on Budget and Research, revealed that the issue of Tucano Jets was not part of the deliberations of the House during the consideration of the N9.120 trillion 2018 budget ,just approved. He also noted that the proviso in the Appropriation Act stipulates that any request for such approval should come by way of Supplementary Budget.

On his part, Abdulrasak Namdas, chairman, House Committee on Media and Publicity, maintained that the request was dead on arrival, as the Parliament was opposed to any form of impunity.

Buhari had in the letter titled: ‘Supplementary input to the 2018 Appropriation bill: Purchase of Super Tucano Aircfraft from the United States Government,’ disclosed that the sum of $1 billion was approved by the state governors at the Federal Economic Council on 14th December, 2017 where a resolution was passed.

“With the Council approving that up to $1 billion may be released and utilised from the Excess Crude Account to address the situation. Subsequent upon this approval, we are preparing a comprehensive schedule of all the requirements for each of the security services for presentation to the National Assembly for consideration.

He explained that Nigeria had been in discussions with the US government for a number of years for the purchase of the Super Tucano Aircraft under a direct government-to-government arrangement, adding that the US Government recently granted the approval with a deadline within which part payment must be made, otherwise the contract would elapse.

“In expectation that the National Assembly would have no objection to the purchase of this highly specialised Aircraft, which is critical to national security, I granted anticipatory approval for the release of $496,374,470. This was paid directly to the Treasury of the United States Government.

“I am therefore writing, seeking approval of this House for the sum of $496,374,470 (equivalent to N151,394,421,335) to be included in the 2018 Appropriation bill, which the National Assembly is currently finalising.

“The balance of the requirements for critical operational equipment is still being collated from different security services, and will be presented in the form of a supplementary Appropriation bill, in due course,” Bihari said in the two-page letter.

https://www.financialdigest.com.ng

So I guess we should wait for this corrupt power abusing dictatorship moonlighting as a democracy to make fake charges against Saraki and others who have stood against this in order to intimidate them into submission.

Buhari has literally turned a democratic muti-religious country into a muslim dictatorship built in nepotism.

I don't understand, are dey declining request for a money dat has already been taken and spent?

This country is a movie location where movies are shot daily.

Hmmm

Bunch of idiatas. No honour. I expected them to tender their resignation letter

If the supplementary is presented they can rejected if they want but we'll still find a way of bringing in those critical military hardware that is needed. Rubish

Nbote:
I don't understand, are dey declining request for a money dat has already been taken and spent?

Yes they are declining request. It boggles the mind doesn't it?

Naija, the theatre of the absurd and ridiculous!

slotA4:
This country is a movie location where movies are shot daily.

If Nigeria was a movie it definitely would be a horror movie!

This is exactly why I said Buharis anticipatory approval was nothing but brazen theft because it's akin to taking money from your bosses wallet and spending then coming back later to ask him for the money , what happen if he refused? How will you refund? Now that the National Assembly has denied approval will Buhari and his anticipatory approval crew refund the money ?

SalamRushdie:
This is exactly why I said Buharis anticipatory approval was nothing but brazen theft because it's akin to taking money from your bosses wallet and spending then coming back later to ask him for the money , what happen if he refused? How will you refund? Now that the National Assembly has denied approval will Buhari and his anticipatory approval crew refund the money ?

Theft how? USA confirmed the reception of the said sum, Trump also could have said otherwise when he met with PMB but he didn't plus we can't rely on the "Senathieves and house of delay" to handle such emergency task. C'mon, this is a matter of national security, if u were living in Chibok, are u going to be praying that the rogues in the national assembly delay the purchase of such equipments. C'mon, Buhari may not have good economic policies(to u) but we don't just have to play politics with everything including the lives of those people living in boko haram infested territories.

Meanwhile, ur analogy is so off point.

kindly read the public procurement act especially on emergency and security related procurement before saying anything here.

lecowas:


Theft how? USA confirmed the reception of the said sum, Trump also could have said otherwise when he met with PMB but he didn't plus we can't rely on the "Senathieves and house of delay" to handle such emergency task. C'mon, this is a matter of national security, if u were living in Chibok, are u going to be praying that the rogues in the national assembly delay the purchase of such equipments. C'mon, Buhari may not have good economic policies(to u) but we don't just have to play politics with everything including the lives of those people living in boko haram infested territories.

Meanwhile, ur analogy is so off point.

If you take money from your father's pocket without his approval and use it to pay for catapault, even if the catapault dealer confirms receipt of payment does it stop your action from being theft ? What if your father says he doesnt want to buy you the catapault , how do you return his money ?

My analogy is only off point to you because you pack an IQ way below 70 .

SalamRushdie:


If you take money from your father's pocket without his approval and use it to pay for catapault, even if the catapault dealer confirms receipt of payment does it stop your action from being theft ? What if your father says he doesnt want to buy you the catapault , how do you return his money ?

My analogy is only off point to you because you pack an IQ way below 70 .

Don't mind that slowpoke. Buhari is now wiser than the entire 109 senators representing Nigerians. Zombies will always be zombies.

SalamRushdie:


If you take money from your father's pocket without his approval and use it to pay for catapault, even if the catapault dealer confirms receipt of payment does it stop your action from being theft ? What if your father says he doesnt want to buy you the catapault , how do you return his money ?

My analogy is only off point to you because you pack an IQ way below 70 .

Common, check my post, I wasn't trying to insult u and u shouldn't do the same. Meanwhile , to u , the NASS is like a father or a boss to the executive. Its okay if that's how u understand elementary social study. What abt Obasanjo, Yaradua and Goodluck, who all withdrew billions of dollars without NASS approval?

CaptJeffry:
Don't mind that slowpoke. Buhari is now wiser than the entire 109 senators representing Nigerians. Zombies will always be zombies.

U're the slowpoke mister, u call the sinnators who intentionally delayed the signing of the budget till the 5th month wise? When some countries have already signed 2019 budget already. To dance on powerline is better than to think those people have ur interest at heart.

lecowas:


Common, check my post, I wasn't trying to insult u and u shouldn't do the same. Meanwhile , to u , the NASS is like a father or a boss to the executive. Its okay if that's how u understand elementary social study. What abt Obasanjo, Yaradua and Goodluck, who all withdrew billions of dollars without NASS approval?

Any expense that requires NASS approval that is made outside the approvalbof NASS is an economic crime ..

SalamRushdie:


If you take money from your father's pocket without his approval and use it to pay for catapault, even if the catapault dealer confirms receipt of payment does it stop your action from being theft ? What if your father says he doesnt want to buy you the catapault , how do you return his money ?

My analogy is only off point to you because you pack an IQ way below 70 .

NASS is not Nigeria's father....!

So NASS is now playing power tussle with the Executive, let's see where it will ends to.

lecowas:


Theft how? USA confirmed the reception of the said sum, Trump also could have said otherwise when he met with PMB but he didn't plus we can't rely on the "Senathieves and house of delay" to handle such emergency task. C'mon, this is a matter of national security, if u were living in Chibok, are u going to be praying that the rogues in the national assembly delay the purchase of such equipments. C'mon, Buhari may not have good economic policies(to u) but we don't just have to play politics with everything including the lives of those people living in boko haram infested territories.

Meanwhile, ur analogy is so off point.

IT IS NOT OFF POINT YOUR COMPREHENSION IS OFF POINT SIR