Wednesday 24 September 2014

Seized Funds: APC Reps Stage Walk Out Over Controversial $9.3m

The House of Representatives session got off to a rowdy start on
Tuesday morning as opposition lawmakers stormed out of plenary.

This was after the lower chamber rejected a motion to investigate the
impounding of a private jet in South Africa, laden with 9.3 million
dollars purportedly to buy arms for the Nigerian Government.

Members of the All Progressives Congress at the House of
Representatives staged a walkout on the House after a stalled debate
on the controversial $9.3m seized by the South African government.

LOpposition lawmakers believe the Federal Government has some
explaining to do and are urging them not to sweep the matter under the
carpet.

They questioned the decision of the speaker not to allow a debate on the matter.

But the Deputy Majority Leader, Leo Ogor, disputed the opposition
lawmakers' stands, insisting that the motion would have amounted to
waste of parliamentary time.

The opposition lawmakers are also saying that the matter is far from
over, as they will try to re-introduce the matter on the floor of the
House of Representatives.

They urged Nigerians to demand an explanation to the matter.

Last week, South African authorities dismissed the Nigerian
Government's explanation about the purpose of the seized funds which
was seized from two Nigerians and an Israeli for flawed discrepancies.

The Federal Government had submitted relevant data and transaction
details to the South African authorities, insisting that the seized
funds were not laundered or smuggled for any covert reasons.

Attempts to debate the motion on Tuesday failed after a voice vote
called by the presiding Deputy Speaker, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, went in
favour of the majority, who opposed the debate.

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