Nigerian House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to halt appropriation of the £4.2m recovered from former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori.
According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria, the resolution followed a unanimous adoption of a motion by the Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, at plenary on Wednesday.
The motion was reportedly co-sponsored by nine other lawmakers from Delta.
Elumelu debated that the £4.2m was being transferred to the coffers of the Federal Government for appropriation without recourse to the Delta government.
He submitted that the money belonged to the people of Delta, and should be refunded to the coffers of the state government for developmental purposes.
Further making a case for Delta, Elumelu recalled how assets seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from Bayelsa and Abia states were returned.
“If the Federal Government is allowed to appropriate the fund without recourse to the Delta government, the people of the state will be shortchanged; they will be deprived of their legitimate resources to improve on the state’s economy as well as provide the requisite infrastructure for their benefit,” Elumelu said.
Thereafter, the House mandated its committees on finance, justice and recovered funds to investigate the matter.
The lower chamber of the National Assembly also demanded the Ministry of Finance to stop disbursement pending the final determination of the matter by it.
The House also requested the Ministry of Finance and Attorney General of Federation to furnish it with all particulars relating to the money.
In his ruling, Reps’ Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, mandated the committees to conclude investigation and report to the House within two weeks.
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