The Federal House of Representatives on Tuesday overturned its earlier decision to grant President Goodluck Jonathan control over funds of state and local governments in the three states under his emergency-rule declaration.
Revoking Section 3(2)(e) of the harmonised, adopted and National Assembly approved Emergency Powers Regulations, they withdrew the president’s power to use state and local government funds for security purposes.
Hon Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi (PDP, Taraba) had raised a motion, arguing that in addition to running contrary to several Supreme Court rulings, granting the president such rights amounts to outright contravention of the constitution,.
“The conference report actually negates everything else we have done,” El-Sudi said. “That single amendment negates all others that we have done. On the one hand, we said administration remains with governors; and on the other, we say fund lies in the hands of the president. How will the governors administer the states?”
He further argued that the Federal Government has no stake in the finances of states and local governments, and as such, President Jonathan cannot withhold the funds.
“The issue of budget or funds belonging to the state is a constitution matter,” he said. “And the money is not just lying there idle; they have a budget they need to pursue.”
In his ruling on the motion, Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal supported the motion and urged his colleagues to follow suit.
“Attention has been drawn to the constitution provision of our earlier decision”, he said.
“There have been reactions about the impropriety of the act and I will never encourage an institution of arrogance. If we take a decision clearly against the constitution [and] attention is drawn, we will not lose anything to do the correct thing. We will reject any provision that is against the constitution.”
Three lawmakers opposed the motion but 194 others supported it.
