Fayose rejects Senate probe on diversion of bailout funds Kess Ewubare
– The Ayo Fayose-governed Ekiti says the constitution restricts the senate from probing how bailout funds granted the state to settle salary arrears were spent – The state government says it would not open its books to the Senate probe on bailout funds due to constitutional impediments.
The Ayo Fayose-governed Ekiti citing the sections of the constitution said Nigeria’s federal system does not give the Senate the constitutional power to exercise oversight over finances of the states, Premium Times reports.
The Ekiti state government rejects Senate probe on diversion of bailout funds. The Ekiti state government has rejected plans by the Senate to probe how bailout funds granted the state to settle salary arrears by the federal government were spent.
The state government stance was in reaction to a letter sent by the Senate committee on state and local government administration led by Gumel Abubakar (APC-Jigawa) to some states, including Ekiti, since November 3, telling them its intention to probe how the funds were disbursed.
In his letter, Mr. Abubakar told the governors that President Muhammadu Buhari had expressed his worry to the National Assembly on the application of bailouts granted to some states; and consequently, Senate President Bukola Saraki directed his committee to conduct oversight on the disbursement of salary bailouts.
But Ekiti in a November 11 letter signed by the state’s attorney general and commissioner for Justice, Owoseni Ajayi, faulted the plan by the Senate to probe how the funds were spent.
“Your Excellency, it is based on this directive that the committee will undertake a tour of all states that have benefited from bailout with the view to oversight records of transactions for the salary bailout grant,” the Senate wrote.
The Ayo Fayose-governed Ekiti citing the sections of the constitution said Nigeria’s federal system does not give the Senate the constitutional power to exercise oversight over finances of the states, Premium Times reports.
The Ekiti state government rejects Senate probe on diversion of bailout funds. The Ekiti state government has rejected plans by the Senate to probe how bailout funds granted the state to settle salary arrears by the federal government were spent.
The state government stance was in reaction to a letter sent by the Senate committee on state and local government administration led by Gumel Abubakar (APC-Jigawa) to some states, including Ekiti, since November 3, telling them its intention to probe how the funds were disbursed.
In his letter, Mr. Abubakar told the governors that President Muhammadu Buhari had expressed his worry to the National Assembly on the application of bailouts granted to some states; and consequently, Senate President Bukola Saraki directed his committee to conduct oversight on the disbursement of salary bailouts.
But Ekiti in a November 11 letter signed by the state’s attorney general and commissioner for Justice, Owoseni Ajayi, faulted the plan by the Senate to probe how the funds were spent.
“Your Excellency, it is based on this directive that the committee will undertake a tour of all states that have benefited from bailout with the view to oversight records of transactions for the salary bailout grant,” the Senate wrote.
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