A
abujagirl
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Ekiti state Governor, Ayo Fayose will not cooperate with the Senate's decision to probe bailout funds handed out to the Federal government.
The state government's 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.
“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.
In response to the Senate, Fayose wrote, “It is incontrovertible that the duty of oversight of government’s financial activities by the legislative arm in Nigeria is a constitutional matter and the diligent performance of this duty in a time like this, when our nation is in economic recession, cannot be overemphasised.
“We therefore appreciate the intentions and aspirations of the National Assembly in the above regard, which, we have no doubt, are aimed at ensuring fiscal discipline, financial integrity, accountability and probity of government and its relevant agencies at all levels.
“However, we respectfully wish to observe that we are constrained, as a state government bound by the principles of federalism and the rule of law, to accede to your proposal to exercise oversight powers over the disbursement of the bailout granted to Ekiti State by the Federal Government because it is legally and constitutionally outside the powers of the Senate of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“In this regard, we wish to draw your attention to the clear provisions of Sections 121, 122, 123, 124, 125 and 125 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), which vests the powers of oversight functions in respect of states’ finances exclusively in the respective state Houses of Assembly.”
The state government's 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.
“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.
In response to the Senate, Fayose wrote, “It is incontrovertible that the duty of oversight of government’s financial activities by the legislative arm in Nigeria is a constitutional matter and the diligent performance of this duty in a time like this, when our nation is in economic recession, cannot be overemphasised.
“We therefore appreciate the intentions and aspirations of the National Assembly in the above regard, which, we have no doubt, are aimed at ensuring fiscal discipline, financial integrity, accountability and probity of government and its relevant agencies at all levels.
“However, we respectfully wish to observe that we are constrained, as a state government bound by the principles of federalism and the rule of law, to accede to your proposal to exercise oversight powers over the disbursement of the bailout granted to Ekiti State by the Federal Government because it is legally and constitutionally outside the powers of the Senate of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“In this regard, we wish to draw your attention to the clear provisions of Sections 121, 122, 123, 124, 125 and 125 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), which vests the powers of oversight functions in respect of states’ finances exclusively in the respective state Houses of Assembly.”