Reps to Jonathan: Don’t touch funds in emergency states

Posted by: The Nation on May 28, 2013

 

The House of Representatives has insisted that President Goodluck Jonathan has no constitutional   right to tamper with the funds of Local Government Areas where state of emergency has been declared.

House Speaker Tambuwal

The lawmakers expressed disappointment on the manner through which their resolution on the funds of the affected States and Local governments was overruled at the conference Committee of the two chambers.

Consequently, the lawmakers, at a plenary on Tuesday attended by 197 members which surpassed the 188-member majority, resolved to delete and revoke completely section 3 (2) (e) of the harmonized, adopted and approved Emergency Powers (General) Regulations, 2013 by both Houses of the National Assembly.

In addition, the lower chamber urged its Senate counterpart to concur and adopt the new resolution.

Mover of the motion, Ibrahim El-Sudi (PDP, Taraba) pointed out that the matter was constitutional and that by virtue of Section 305 of the constitution as amended, the President was empowered to do declare a State o emergency in any part of the country