NewStats: 3,262,167 , 8,176,294 topics. Date: Sunday, 01 June 2025 at 06:02 AM t4l5a

The Ekiti State Government has rebuffed the plan by the Senate to investigate utilisation of bailout funds granted the state to settle salary arrears by the Federal Government.

Generally, the Ayo Fayose-governed Ekiti said, Nigeria’s federal system does not give the Senate the constitutional power to exercise oversight over finances of the states.

TIMES understands the Senate Committee on State and Local Government istration led by Gumel Abubakar (APC-Jigawa), had written some states, including Ekiti, since November 3, telling them its intention to probe how the funds were disbursed.

In his letter, Mr. Abubakar told the governors that President Muhammadu Buhari had expressed his worry to the National Assembly on the application of bailouts granted to some states; and consequently, Senate President Bukola Saraki directed his committee to conduct oversight on the disbursement of salary bailouts.
“Your Excellency, it is based on this directive that the Committee will undertake a tour of all states that have benefited from bailout with the view to oversight records of transactions for the salary bailout grant,” the Senate wrote.

But Ekiti State, in a November 11 letter received on November 14, faulted the plan by the Senate.
The letter was signed by the State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Owoseni Ajayi.

Mr. Ajayi said although Ekiti appreciated the intentions of the federal lawmakers, the government would not open its books to the Senate due to constitutional impediments.
The letter read in part: “It is incontrovertible that the duty of oversight of government’s financial activities by the legislative arm in Nigeria is a constitutional matter and the diligent performance of this duty in a time like this, when our nation is in economic recession, cannot be overemphasised.

“We therefore appreciate the intentions and aspirations of the National Assembly in the above regard, which, we have no doubt, are aimed at ensuring fiscal discipline, financial integrity, ability and probity of government and its relevant agencies at all levels.However, we respectfully wish to observe that we are constrained, as a state government bound by the principles of federalism and the rule of law, to accede to your proposal to exercise oversight powers over the disbursement of the bailout granted to Ekiti State by the Federal Government because it is legally and constitutionally outside the powers of the Senate of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“In this regard, we wish to draw your attention to the clear provisions of Sections 121, 122, 123, 124, 125 and 125 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), which vests the powers of oversight functions in respect of states’ finances exclusively in the respective state Houses of Assembly.”

On April 22, anti-graft agency, IC, released a report, detailing how the states diverted the bailout funds.

http://www.timesng.com/news/headlines/215469-cant-probe-i-spent-bailout-funds-fayose-tells-senate.html

OK. neeext!

This is a political example of "Monkey deh work, Baboon deh chop....Moreover, a clear conscience fears no accusations, The restraints exhibited by Ekiti is due to nothing else but large misappropriation of the bail out funds, if not, we could as well spared this long epistle largely ed by this "corruption- friendly constitution"

This guy too dey talk jare

hahahahaha, fayose don use ekiti state bail out carry market women finish.

When the money is removed directly from State allocation, hope nobody will probe that too?

Werey ni bobo yi sha....as in Muhfuka ni

What a nation! How can the national assembly oversight over the spending of a state, when there is a state assembly?

Buhari, will grind the economy of Nigeria to a halt with all these impunity.

chai!!! ekiti kete ooo, dis don one chance

is a boss oo

kernel504:
What a nation! How can the national assembly oversight over the spending of a state, when there is a state assembly?

Buhari, will grind the economy of Nigeria to a halt with all these impunity.

Bailout fund is not Federal allocation
o!
That is the and conditions

#Modified
You cannot borrow a loan from the bank and say the bank shouldn't monitor the loan. What if you spend it on "Baba Ejebu?"

The last bailout was given to pay state civil servants but some states spent it frivolously, now they want another one
Moreover, there's no bailout in the Constitution

ayindejimmy:


Bailout fund is not State allocation
That is the and conditions

Is federal allocation state fund?... The center government has no jurisdiction oversighting the spending of state, state assembly does.

Nae him know

The Useless Senators Should also Probe Aregbe Rascal,Oshio-worwor and all other thieving APC Governors Nonesense

After using the people's money to play bet & away matches, i just pity this guy because what awaits him is totally out of this world...

---

This is to show governors are the may cause of poverty on Nigeria, they are hiding under immunity to defraud federal government allocation, they seize workers salaries and get their own salary, the rule with impunity, they are criminals in power, when EFCC probes them they attack buhari for witch hunting, and some fools who can not eat three square meal a day right from Jonathan regime will still them. Governors like Fayose is one of the reasons we are in this recession not buhari hoha, they collect security votes which I think should be scrapped from the constitution.

Nigeria constitution sef

ayindejimmy:


Bailout fund is not State allocation
That is the and conditions

Was there an agreement on what to actually use the fund for? And was it agreed that FG will the expenses(s) thereafter.
As far as rule of law is concerned, they have no right to oversee any state expenses. Mind you, the bailout fund will still be deducted from their allocation just like a loan, so don't think FG is giving them for free.

It is actually left for the concerned states to decide what they want, so if Ekiti insists they want to follow the rule, the FG should let them be.

The Governor is correct.
Federal Govt. Can't probe state Govt.
The state is a federating unit, with every apparatus of Govt in place....check and balances should happen at the state level.

The Governor is the "President" of a state. It will be counterproductive if agencies of the Federal govt begin to bully and order Governors around.

kernel504:
What a nation! How can the national assembly oversight over the spending of a state, when there is a state assembly?

Buhari, will grind the economy of Nigeria to a halt with all these impunity.

Bros go patch your brain e dey lick......even though we all hate buhari, but this your comment shows your brain has finished licking, eh remain half litre

Senate should have written to the state assembly.
I'm not in of corruption but due process should be respected.
It's the duty of the state house of assembly to monitor and probe the spendings of the state government and then maybe forward findings to the national assembly I.e Senate.
Same way it's only the national assembly that can probe the federal government spendings.
#JustMyOpinionThough

ghocol9:
If you know your rights nobody will kick you around

True talk

Hnmmm

kernel504:


Is federal allocation state fund?... The center government has no jurisdiction oversighting the.. spending of state, state assembly does.

...


But....FG can bailout when there is financial crisis, right?

Na wah for you oo

kernel504:
What a nation! How can the national assembly oversight over the spending of a state, when there is a state assembly?

Buhari, will grind the economy of Nigeria to a halt with all these impunity.

is the money a lone or grant? If it's a grant then either constitution or not the spending must be followed. Was the bailout constitutional? From which is bailout fund coming from? Federation or contingency ?

Hmmm

kernel504:


Is federal allocation state fund?... The center government has no jurisdiction oversighting the spending of state, state assembly does.

Yes! The federal allocation belongs to state n FG can be sued if it fails....., but bail out fund was a special package given to the criminal governors all r criminals without exception of any to pay salaries of their workers only, but was/were looted by the same governors who had complained of shortage fund earlier. What an irony of life!. For instance, IC discovered Zamfara gov wrote to its lawbreakers to appropriate d bail out fund to buy cars for politicians, same gory stories with diff modification in all the the states who collected d fund. Nigeria project is a joke!!

fayose...

please click the link on my signature.