Senate has given the Ministry of Interior 24 hours to defend N700 million received from Service Wide Votes (SWV) for the monitoring of Ondo and Edo Governorship Election
From the record, the money was released in two batches, N400 million for Ondo Governorship election and N300 million for Edo Governorship Election.
According to AIE, N400 million was released to the Ministry of Interior for logistics and operational support in respect of Ondo state gubernatorial election.
The second release reads, N300 m was released to the Ministry of Interior for logistic and operational support in respect of forthcoming Edo state gubanitorial election.
The Chairman, Senate Public Accounts Committee, Senator Mathew Urhoghide gave the directive to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr S. Belgore due to excuse by the Ministry that the N700 million will be accounted for by the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps (NSDC).
According to the Permanent Secretary, it is the NSDC that will account for the money, we only make request on behalf of the NSDC.
Not satisfied with the defence of the Permanent Secretary, the Chairman of the Committee indicated that the excuse is not tenable because the NSDC did not collect the money, it was the Ministry that collected the money.
He added that the NSDC will only come before the Committee to account for the money requested personally from Service Wide Votes.
“NSDC have their own query they are coming before the Panel to respond to the one that bears their names, they have the money given to them directly.
“From our records, it is your ministry that will defend the expenditures not NSDC.”
The Chairman therefore gave the Ministry 24 hours to defend the N700 million for the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.
“You have 24 hours to make your report available to us, we must get explanation from you,” he submitted.