•APC lawmakers walk out
…Senate probes seizure of money
The House of Representatives was yesterday thrown into commotion over a motion seeking an investigation into the alleged $9.3million (N1.2billion) arms deal involving the Federal Government and South Africa.
Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the House engaged their colleagues in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other party in a shouting match over the refusal of the latter that the motion be read and the matter investigated by the chamber. APC lawmakers later staged a walk-out.
This is even as the Senate said it has begun investigation into the seizure of the money.
The motion seeking the probe of the cash haul which had been seized by the South African Government was moved by the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Abdulrahman Kawu (APC, Kano), As soon as he introduced the motion, voices of objection rent the air. Despite the loud objection from PDP members, Kawu still presented his motion.
The Deputy Speaker, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, who presided over the plenary, put the motion to vote without debate. It was summarily defeated by a voice vote.
Angered by the development, APC members led by Kawu, walked out of the chamber. They immediately held a meeting and resolved not to back down on their position.
They condemned how Hon. Ihedioha handled the proceeding that led to the defeat of the motion. The Minority Whip, Hon. Samson Osagie (APC-Edo) at the briefing, described the proceedings on the motion as shameful.
Osagie bemoaned the attitude of the government to the scandal involving an official of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and some unnamed Nigerians involved in the alleged cash-haul scam.
He said: “We are here this afternoon to bare our minds on a very scandalous, very disgraceful and very appalling event that took place a week ago that borders on the image of our country, Nigeria. Let me state clearly that we are not just here as the members of the APC caucus of the House. We are also here as concerned Nigerians who hold the mandate of the Nigerian people to defend their interest, to ensure that corruption is reduced to the barest minimum if not totally eliminated, to ensure that our country’s integrity remains intact in the eyes of the international community. We are all aware that a week ago or so, the South African Government impounded an aircraft purportedly belonging to a top religious leader in this country that was used to carry $9.3 million. They were said to be mint and have never been used.
“As if that was not enough, the Federal Government has come up to own up that it was meant for the purchase of arms and ammunitions for the purpose of fighting insurgency.”
“The questions that we have for the Federal Government are as follows: “Is it faster or safer to do an international transaction of such magnitude by ferrying cash across the continent or simply wire transfer that can go through in matter of seconds or matter of few hours.
“If indeed, the matter involves security issues like the purchase of arms by foreign government like Nigeria, why was the South African Government not brought into the picture before hand and how could the South African Government be sure that the arms were purchased legitimately by the Nigerian government and not by the insurgents when there were no officials of the National Security Adviser (NSA) office or the Director of State Security department that accompany such money?
“If indeed the manufacturers of such equipment were expecting large sums of money by cash, why did they not make adequate arrangement with the authorities in South Africa to declare the cash on arrival since it was the law in South Africa that you must declare any amount in excess of 2.500 dollars.
“Why was the money belonging to the federal government and meant for the purchase of equipment for the Federal Government moved by a private jet when we have over five to six airplanes in the presidential air fleet?”
He argued, “why was the money not accompanied by the officials of NSA and DSS?
“Why would the government that is at the peak of promoting cashless policy in our country be the chief breaker of that policy by moving such amount of cash if indeed, it was a legitimate transaction of Federal Government.
The opposition lawmakers suspected a foul-play and a case of money laundering in the matter.
On why they staged a walk-out, Osagie claimed that APC lawmakers were displeased with the way the presiding officer handled the matter.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence and Army, George Thompson Sekibo, said yesterday that investigation has commenced over the seizure of the money.
Sekibo disclosed this to newsmen after a three-hour closed-door meeting with service chiefs in Abuja, shrugged off further questions on the nature of the probe. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh led service chiefs to the meeting.
Sekibo, who was very economical with answers to reporters’ questions after the meeting simply said, “investigation is already ongoing.” He also confirmed that the seized money belonged to the Federal Government. “We are still investigating. We have started the investigation, when we get through the investigation, we will brief you.”
The meeting, he said, “went very well,” adding, “there were several questions here and there and we are digging to find out details and facts about what happened. The committee is satisfied that we are on top of the matter.”
THE SUN
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