Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has questioned the roles of former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and former President Goodluck Jonathan, in the disbursement of funds meant for the procurement of arms for the military.
Former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, is at the center of an ongoing arms procurement probe, as a result of $2.1 billion which can’t be accounted for.
In the past week, key officials of the last administration have been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in connection with the investigation.
However, Oshiomhole says Jonathan and Okonjo-Iweala also have questions to answer, regarding the appropriation of the funds for the arms purchase.
The governor weighed-in on the matter, on Tuesday, at the Quadrennial Delegates’ Conference of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions in Abuja.
Oshiomhole wondered if the constitution gave Okojo-Iweala the authority to disburse the $2.1 billion without approval from the National Assembly.
He said: “That money which they claimed to have used to buy arms, was it appropriated by the National Assembly?
Was it in the Appropriation Act? Did the then President (Goodluck Jonathan) have the power to spend money that has not been appropriated? Was he a military head of state? Does he have the powers that he purported to have used?”
“The Minister of Finance who released the money, under which constitution does the minister have the powers to release monies from the national treasury that has not been captured in the national appropriation laws? If she did, is that not part of conspiracy?”
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