The Buhari administration has ended the
controversial practice of routine security vote
allocation to top government, military and
security officials, SaharaReporters has learned
.


Sources in the Finance and Budget ministries also
said that the order extends to the President
himself, and the Vice President.
In recent decades, security votes became popular
among politicians, military officers and public
officers, especially presidents and state
governors, as a vehicle for siphoning public funds.
As the nation became more and more enmeshed
in official graft, however, the practice began to
generate tremendous public criticism.
Observers say it was a relic from the long years of
military rule, but became even more prevalent as
from the Second Republic, and assumed a more
dramatic and wider form in 1999. Apart from
principal federal government officials, state
governors and local government chairmen often
allocate huge sums of money to their offices as
‘security’ votes, even as the country grew
increasingly insecure.
Government sources now confirm that as soon as
the Buhari administration took power last year, a
clear indication was given of the new direction
when President Muhammadu Buhari asked
accounting officers in Aso Rock to keep an eye on
his own expenses and that of his deputy, noting
that they both intended to run a transparent
presidency, with zero-tolerance for corruption.
Subsequently, the President directed that there
would be no routine allocation of security votes to
he or anyone else as had been the practice since
1983.
For state governors, security votes often run into
billions of Naira annually in many states. While the
actual amount that normally goes to the
president was always sketchy, there have been
clear indications that it runs into several billions of
Naira, sometimes on a monthly basis.
For example, under the Goodluck Jonathan
presidency, several security vote accounts have
been discovered not just in the office of the
National Security Adviser, the State Security
Service and the military, but also in accounts of
the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation.
In one particular instance, Mr. Jonathan approved
a controversial payment of N2.4b in one day for
the rent of 13 house boats for the use of the
military in Niger Delta under the Joint Task Force
Operation Pulo Shield. In the memo for the
payment, the former president simply asked the
then Petroleum Minister to “release the sum from
NNPC security vote.”
The records show that the memo was approved
by Mr. Jonathan on February 16, last year. It
turned out, according to security sources, that
the payment for the rent of the house boats was
more than sufficient to actually buy several more
house boats. The money was cashed from an
NNPC account in Zenith Bank, Maitama, number
023-01571-41-13-4 and paid into the Main
Account of the Chief of Naval Staff.
Budget officials say while security chiefs and top
civil servants argued for retention of security
votes in order to take care of security
contingencies, the President cancelled routine
vote allocations outright, and cut security votes in
the budget by 25%.
This means that the National Security Adviser’s
office, the Department of State Security and the
Department of Military Intelligence have had their
budgets slashed by significant sums to reflect the
president’s order to cancel routine allocation of
security votes.
A source added that in a similar vein, the
President and his deputy no longer receive huge
sums of money normally released by the NSA’s
office whenever they travel, as was the practice in
past governments especially the Jonathan
administration.
Sources revealed that in the past when the
president or his deputy traveled, not only did
they receive routine estacodes, the NSA would
bring along loads of hard currency drawn from
the security vote, sometimes as much as $50,000
per trip.
On learning of the practice, President Buhari is
said to have given firm instructions to stop such
practices, providing only that he and the Vice
President would only receive civil service rated
estacodes and daily travel allowance when they
travel abroad, or locally.
A consequence of the new standard is that
prominent Nigerians who visit Aso Rock and
depart with huge bags or envelopes stacked with
money no longer receive such treatment. A
source in the presidency said when prominent
Nigerians visit the president or his deputy these
days, they only get a very warm reception, tea,
water, sweets and kolanut, but that no money
exchanges hands. Sources said such monies
given out to prominent visitors were normally
drawn from the security vote allocation.

Source: www.saharareporters.com/2016/02/23/buhari-has-scrapped-security-vote-top-federal-officials-sources

lalasticlala

Food don land for wailers, they'll surely hate this kind of news.

Nice move. No more free manna

ok na

Good riddance to senseless spending

Nice move

Propaganda specialist...
1. Buhari cancels security votes outright
2. Buhari reduces security votes in budget by 25%.
3. Nos 1 & 2 are so conflicting statements as usual.
4. For a practice that started since 1983 (and practiced by all presidents and heads of state since then including GMB); GEJ was blamed specially and hence formed the focus of the discussion.
5. APC...leave propaganda and face governance ...Thank you!

pmb may your days be long.

OKKO:
Propaganda specialist...
1. Buhari cancels security votes outright
2. Buhari reduces security votes in budget by 25%.
3. Nos 1 & 2 are so conflicting statements as usual.
4. For a practice that started since 1983 (and practiced by all presidents and heads of state since then including GMB); GEJ was blamed specially and hence formed the focus of the discussion.
5. APC...leave propaganda and face governance ...Thank you!

thou art wise

Wailers will want PMB to retain the sleaze called security vote with hope of saving the ass of their fallen hero from eventually prosecution. They will be happy to say we are all the same whether PDP or APC. Ask them why PDP should come back, no tangible reason other than they will steal and share.

It doesn't hit them over the head that any money misappropriated whether by GEJ, Dasuki, PMB could actually make a positive difference in their sorry lives

That is the area they embezzle most or they fuel crisis in their respective States to pave way for looting (Govs) tft

YAGAZIE! Next pass the budget so we can get the machine moving. We are hurting out here. Let's get this currency circulating!

baba go slow..... I'd rather go slow and steady and arrive safe than fast/ furious and hit the rocks.
big ups baba

OKKO:
Propaganda specialist...
1. Buhari cancels security votes outright
2. Buhari reduces security votes in budget by 25%.
3. Nos 1 & 2 are so conflicting statements as usual.
4. For a practice that started since 1983 (and practiced by all presidents and heads of state since then including GMB); GEJ was blamed specially and hence formed the focus of the discussion.
5. APC...leave propaganda and face governance ...Thank you!

Read and comprehend before commenting.

@Topic. Nice move by PMB, I have no doubt about baba's ability to stop corruption, but he should please do something about the economy quickly.

Nice move

nice move if na true oh cos na mr sahara report this news

Good step tho

Fayose and Ipob should take note please.

I kw baba mean well for this nation, no matter the height of animosity or degree of hatred for HIM will make us stop believing this healing process.


They said they suffering, I guess they weren't in d country wen dollar bills are being sprayed around juz to win election.


God saved our nation they didn't get re-elected, dis nation woulda been put up 4 sale

Sometimes I wonder how much this administration pay media houses to run propagandas and always bring in Dr.Jonathan into their predicament.Sahara reporters had lost their voice in the current state of the economy of the country.They are quick to celebrate the mediocre of Buhari security vote but reluctant to talk about how much has accrued to traveling allowances of our tourist president for the 24 countries he had visited.
Few days ago military men invaded a community in Rivers state to engage militants in a gun battle but we are yet to see the military react to the recent killing and destruction of properties in a community in Benue by Buhari kinsmen of Fulanis.Sahara reporters reportage is silent in the disparity of this administration on matters like this.God will judge who hides the truth and celebrate mediocres.

Fantastic news and a very very positive development from this government if only it is true lets pray that apc or Femi adeshina will not deny or debunk the story tomorrow.

wetin wailers go talk for these one

Good moves

good move

Good move.

Must GEJ be highlighted in a story that clearly states that practise Started since 1983?

APC, face governance to raise this economy

This dullard from Daura wants to finish Nigeria b4 2019,may God help Us.

Time for the looting emperors in states to follow FG. Where is that one called Fayose? Hey Fayose, have you removed that useless corruption legalized security vote?

Goldencollins:
This dullard from Daura wants to finish Nigeria b4 2019,may God help Us.

really is this a human or a robot

this news is fake until FG release an official statement.

We will get there and the fools will see the reason we choose him. Ride on my president but official statement from the president is needed