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Thursday, March 28, 2024

PDP Reps Stop Motion To Probe Jonathan

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Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, members in the House of Representatives, yesterday, frustrated a motion seeking to investigate the administration of former President, Goodluck Jonathan, over alleged non-remittance of about $10 million into the Federation Account by some ministries, agencies and parastatals.

In a motion, Chike Okafor (APC, Imo) alleged that some Federal Government agencies under the Jonathan administration were involved in underhand dealings in tax remittances and unapproved spending of money meant for the Federation Account.

He was, however, cut short in his presentation into the motion by two PDP members, who raised points of order to halt him, hinging their arguments on the technical flaws in his motion as listed on the Order Paper.

‘Infractions’

Okafor, in the motion, alleged that $4 billion paid as taxes and dividends by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited, NLNGL, between 2009 and 2014 did not reflect in government’s account while Jonathan was President.

He also listed in the motion allegations that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, spent $3.8 trillion in three years under the same administration without parliamentary appropriation.

Also, he noted that there were allegations that $2.1 billion was disbursed from the excess crude account without the approval of the National Economic Council, NEC, which were infractions.

He had barely finished reading the first paragraph of his motion when another member, Edward Pwajok (PDP, Plateau), shouted: “Point of Order” at the top of his voice to draw the attention of the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.

In accordance with the laid down rules of the House, which prescribed that Points of Order must be taken at all times when raised, the Speaker yielded the floor to Pwajok to make his contribution while Okafor took his seat.

Point of Order

Quoting several sections of the Constitution and the Establishing Act of the NEC, Pwajok faulted the basis of the motion moved by Okafor, as he insisted that there was no solid foundation to believe what Okafor was raising in his motion as there was nothing tangible before the House on such.

He sought the leave of the House to have the motion stopped from being read and debated on the floor of parliament.

His position was re-echoed by the Minority Leader of the House, Leo Ogor (PDP Isoko, Delta), who was called by the Speaker, as he also raised his voice seeking permission to raise a point of order immediately after Pwajok.

He condemned the motion, arguing that the motion was defective on all sides.

As debate on the motion was going on, some PDP members gathered and discussed in groups, even while the House was in session.

The Chief Whip, Ado Doguwa, drew the attention of the Speaker to the development and asked the PDP members to end the meeting.

The massive opposition from PDP members cowed Okafor to openly withdraw the motion when Speaker Dogara called on him to respond to the points raised by Pwajok and Ogor.

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