The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), yesterday, described recent claims and action by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, on the $418million Paris Club refund as fraudulent and self-serving.
NGF Chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, told journalists after the meeting that the Forum will take every constitutional and legal means to ensure that these purported consultancies are fully litigated upon by the highest court in the land.
Recall that Malami had insisted that the Governors had no basis to reject the proposed deductions of $418 million from the Paris Club refund because they had been indemnified and conceded that such payments be made to the consultants.
But Fayemi reiterated that there is no liability by the states, adding that only the court can determine if the states are indeed liable.
And we would take every constitutional and legal means to ensure that these purported consultancies are fully litigated upon by the highest court in the land.
In a communiqué he read at the end of the meeting, Fayemi said: “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 sub judice and we are very reluctant to get in the way of a matter that is still being pursued in court.
“We are constrained by the manner in which the honourable Attorney General 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 states 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 consultancies are fully litigated upon by the highest court in the land.
“If the court now finds the governors and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and states liable, then we will cross that bridge when we get there.”
