President Muhammadu Buhari has set up a committee, majorly of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) in his cabinet to take a wholesome look at the payment of the $418 million Paris Club refund, allegedly owed four contractors from the federation account and advise appropriately.
This is just as he directed the minister of finance, budget and national planning, Zainab Ahmed, to suspend the planned phased payment of the debt from the federation account.
Ministers had at last week’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting moved against the idea which was being pushed by the duo of Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and Ahmed, saying the idea was insensitive to time and inimical to current realities in the country.
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), had recently, through a letter to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, resisted the renewed move by Malami to pay the money, on the premise that the process was still being challenged in court.
Ahmed and Malami, had at last week’s FEC meeting presented a memo, asking the cabinet to approve the deductions from funds due to states from the federation account but they were countered by Ministers, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and the Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo.
The FEC members, who spoke against the deduction contended that it would be sub-judice for any payment to be made to the contractors while cases were pending in courts.