Senate has resolved to investigate alleged misuse of the Social Intervention Programme (SIP) funds by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.
\nThe upper legislative chamber also agreed to probe how funds allocated to the Subsidy Re-investment Programme (SURE-P), were utilised before 2015.
\nThe resolution followed adoption of a motion by the Minority Leader, Biodun Olujimi on alleged deployment of funds under the SIP, to buy Permanent Voters\u2019 Cards (PVCs) to promote President Muhammadu Buhari\u2019s presidential election in 2019.
\nOlujimi displayed copies of signed forms, by an alleged SIP beneficiary, and claimed that beneficiaries were made to attach their PVCs before they can benefit from the fund.
\nShe noted that it was unfortunate that the Social Intervention Programme, which was created for the benefit of every Nigerian, was allegedly being manipulated to buy PVCs for Buhari\u2019s re-election bid.
\nOlujimi, who came under Order 42 (personal explanation), prayed the Senate to investigate the matter as a matter of urgency.
\nShe urged the chamber to ensure that the SIP fund was not used for political purposes.
\nBut, Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, described the allegation as completely unfounded.
\nAs Lawan moved to disabuse the minds of his colleagues about any untoward use of the fund, the Senate erupted with shouts of \u2018point of order.\u2019
\nAttempts by the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, to control the situation failed for some minutes.
\nThereafter, Saraki yielded the floor to Senator Dino Melaye to move his point of order.
\nMelaye said Olujimi\u2019s motion should first be seconded before contributions would be made but requested for protection, and be allowed to make his points.
\nSaraki said Lawan should be allowed to speak, which he did.
\nLawan said: \u201cI listened attentively to the motion by Senator Olujimi. I want to say that the SIP of this administration is transparent. For the first time in the history of social intervention programmes in Nigeria, we have proof that anywhere you are in Nigeria, you can apply.\u201d
\nBut, shouts of \u2018point of order\u2019 continued.
\nSenator Albert Akpan took the floor to raise Orders 49 and 52, and reiterated Melaye\u2019s position that Saraki should first allow Olujimi\u2019s motion be seconded.
\nHe added that contributions in support of the motion should be taken after which those opposed to the motion should take the floor.
\nBut Saraki could take none of that.
\nHe insisted Lawan be allowed to conclude his contribution.
\nBuoyed by that support, Lawan said the SIP was computer-based, which made it easy for Nigerians to apply wherever they were.
\nHe urged the Senate President to be above board and blind to the debate.
\nLawan also said it was on record that the SIP has been the most successful in the country.
\n\u201cWe inherited poverty, we inherited empty treasury. This administration is working to change the system. The social intervention fund is under the office of the Vice President, who has been very transparent in the implementation of the programme for the benefit of all Nigerians,\u201d the leader said.
\nLawan added that he was not against whatever the Senate wanted to do with Olujimi\u2019s motion \u201cbut the investigation should not be turned into a political weapon.\u201d
\nHe reminded the Senate that Nigerians were aware that Sure-P failed and that Olujimi should tender the document she had while the investigation should be party blind.
\nThereafter, the Senate adopted the prayer that the probe should be apolitical.
\nThe prayer that Sure-P should also be investigated was also adopted.
\nSenators Ibrahim Gobir, Shehu Sani, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Danjuma Goje, among others, were appointed to probe Olujimi\u2019s claims.
\nMeanwhile, the House of Representatives has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to relieve the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Mustapha Maihaja of his duties over the alleged mismanagement and embezzlement of \u201cover N33billion .\u201d
\nAn ad hoc committee of the House investigated the operations of NEMA under Maihaja and recommended his sacking.
\nThe House has just approved the recommendation of the panel, which is chaired by a member from Gombe State, Mr. Ali Isa.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Senate has resolved to investigate alleged misuse of the Social Intervention Programme (SIP) funds by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government. The upper legislative chamber also agreed to probe how funds allocated to the Subsidy Re-investment Programme (SURE-P), were utilised before 2015. The resolution followed adoption of a motion by the Minority Leader, Biodun […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":189516,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[76,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-189512","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-front-pix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/189512","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=189512"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/189512\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/189516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=189512"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=189512"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=189512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}