Senate Invites Finance Minister And CBN Governor Over $462m Used To Purchase Helicopter

The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday invited the Minister for Finance, Kemi Adeosun,  the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, and  the Minister of Defense, Mansur Dan-Ali, to shed more light into the alleged withdrawal of 462 million dollars for purchase of helicopters from an American firm.

The resolve by the upper chamber to summon the officials was as a result of a Point-of-Order raised by Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Sen. Sam Anyanwu, at plenary.

Naija News gathered that the Minister of Finance and the governor of the Central Bank are currently attending the spring meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Sen. Sam Anyanwu said that he was availed with information that  that in March, 2018, from the Federation Account, a sum of 462 million dollars was withdrawn and paid for helicopters to an American firm.

“This is without the approval of the National Assembly. I know that at no time was there any request from this Senate for any such withdrawal from the Consolidated Revenue Account of the federation.

“I want to find out if anything was done.

“I will suggest we invite the CBN Governor, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Defence to tell us how this money was withdrawn and paid into an American company without the approval of the Senate,” he said.

The senator while quoting Section 80 (2 and 3) of the Constitution said “no monies shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the federation except to meet expenditure that is charged upon the fund by the Constitution.

“No monies shall be withdrawn from any public fund of the federation other than the Consolidated Revenue Fund unless the issue of those monies have been authorised by the Act of the National Assembly.”

The Deputy Senate President, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary directed the issue to the Appropriation Committee and gave it one week to report back.