Minority kicks as Senate approves N10.016 billion for Kogi

 Sanni Onogu, Abuja

 

MINORITY caucus in the Senate on Tuesday kicked against the approval of the sum of N10.016billion for the Kogi State Government a few days to the Saturday governorship election in the state.

Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe’s opposition to the payment was sequel to the presentation and consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Local and Foriegn Debts on the issuance of the sum of N10.016billion promissory note programme to the Kogi State Government and a Bond issuance to settle local debts and contractual obligations of the Federal Government – refund to states for projects executed on behalf of the Federal Government.

The report was presented by the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Clifford Ordia, representing Edo Central.

Ordia had said that the committee was satisfied with its findings and recommended that the Senate should approve the payment of the amount to the Kogi State Government.

The report, which had been slated “to be laid” in the Order Paper was, however , considered after the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, said the report be laid and equally discussed.

Abaribe had objected to the Bill being discussed, but he was overruled by the Senate President.

Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, Senator Jibrin Barau, supported the recommendation of the committee and urged the Senate to approve it.

Barau said the approval would motivate other state governments to follow the example already laid by the Kogi State Government in repairing Federal Roads.

Abaribe in his contribution opposed the approval of the sum and requested that the approval should be delayed for at least a week.

Abaribe said: “I agree with Senator Jibrin Barau that states that have done the work of the Federal Government should be paid.

“But a witch cries in the night and a child died in the morning, who does not know who is responsible?

“I agree they should be paid, what I don’t want is misuse. I have the mandate of the Minority to move that this report should be delayed for at least one week.

“We think this is not the right time. We think this is a time exigency of the moment would lead to the money being wasted.”

Lawan, in his response, noted that the Kogi State Government applied for the refund during the Eighth Senate but that the request was not approved.

Attempt by Senator Uche Ekwunife to raise a point of order was rebuffed by the Senate President.

“I will not take any point of order until I have put the question,” he said.

The recommendation that the money be refunded to the Kogi State Government by the Federal Government was overwhelmingly approved by Senators, when it was put to voice vote by the Senate President.

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had on October 15, 2019 requested the Senate for an approval to pay the Kogi State Government N10.069 billion, being refund of money spent by the state on behalf of the Federal government.