The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) says Abubakar Malami,
attorney-general of the federation (AGF), is acting based on selfish interest
regarding the controversial $418 million Paris Club refund.
On Thursday, Malami said the NGF has no basis to reject the
proposed deduction of $418 million, adding that the consultants’ claims are
justified.
In a communique issued after a meeting on Wednesday, the
governors said all the claims made by the AGF were lies and that his actions
are fraudulent.
Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti state governor and NGF chairman, said
the governors are determined to pursue the matter “to the highest court in the
land”.
The communique reads: “Governors extensively reviewed the
purported attempts by the attorney-general of the federation and the minister
of finance, to circumvent the law and a recent judgment of the supreme court to
secure the approval of the federal legislative council to effect illegal
payment of a sum of $418 million to contractors who allegedly executed
consultancy in respect to the Paris Club refund, to state and local governments.
“The forum set up a committee comprising the chairman, the
governor of Ekiti state, the vice chairman, the governor of Ondo State, the
governor of Plateau State, the governor of Nasarawa state, and the governor of
Ebonyi State to interface with the committee set up by Mr. President to review
the matter.
“But the position of the Governors’ Forum is clear and
unequivocal. Although this matter is subjudice and we are very reluctant to get
in the way of a matter that is still being pursued in the court. We’re
constrained by the manner in which the honorable attorney has been going around
various media houses and purporting to create the impression that this is a
liability to which governors had committed themselves to and agreed to, even
though he is very much aware that that’s not the case.
“And we reject all of
the claims that he has made on this issue. And we also insist that state will
not give up on insisting that these purported claims are fraudulent and will
not stand as far as governors are concerned and we would take every
constitutional and legal means to ensure that these purported consultancy are
fully litigated upon by the highest court in the land.
“If the courts now fine governors, and the Nigerian
Governors’ Forum and state liable, then we will cross that bridge when get
there.”
The governors added that the attorney-general’s interest in
the issue “will ultimately become clear when this matter is fully addressed, in
the law court”.
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Set up an investigative panel to determines AGF interest in this matter. Or let it be proven in the court of law that the governors are innocent.
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