Updating your news feed...
NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s leading online newspaper. Published by Africa’s international award-winning journalist, Mr. Isaac Umunna, NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s first truly professional online daily newspaper. It is published from Lagos, Nigeria’s economic and media hub, and has a provision for occasional special print editions. Thanks to our vast network of sources and dedicated team of professional journalists and contributors spread across Nigeria and overseas, NEWS EXPRESS has become synonymous with newsbreaks and exclusive stories from around the world.
Loading banners
Loading banners...
National Assembly Complex
The Senate on Wednesday gave the Ministry of Interior a 24-hour ultimatum to defend N700 million collected from the Service Wide Votes (SWV) for the monitoring of Ondo and Edo Governorship elections.
The Chairman, Senate on Public Accounts Committee, Senator Mathew Urhoghide, gave the ultimatum to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr S. Belgore following excuse by the ministry that the money would be accounted for by the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps (NSDC).
From available records, the money was released in two batches, N400 million for the Ondo governorship election and N300 million for Edo governorship election.
According to Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIE), N400 million to the Ministry of Interior is for logistics and operational support in respect of the forthcoming Ondo State gubernatorial election.
Responding to the position of the Investigative Panel, the Permanent Secretary, stated that it was the NSDC that would account for the money, stressing that the ministry only made the request on behalf of the NSDC.
However, not satisfied with the defence of the Permanent Secretary, the committee chairman said that the excuse was not tenable because the NSDC did not collect the money but the ministry did. (New Telegraph)
