President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to buy $462 million worth of fighter jets for the military without recourse to the National Assembly has been deemed an “impeachable offence” by the House of Representatives.
The House members were left infuriated by the decision after the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara informed them at plenary by reading a letter from the president.
According to the said letter, the purchase of 12 Super Tucano aircraft from the US to be delivered in 2020 was done in “anticipation of approval” by the National Assembly.
“In the expectation that the National Assembly would have no objection to the purchase of this highly specialised aircraft, which is critical to national security, I granted anticipatory approval for the release of US$469, 374, 470.00,” Buhari’s letter read in part.
The president also requested that the expenditure be captured in the 2018 Appropriation Bill currently before the National Assembly.
But the visibly agitated lawmakers accused the president of taking the National Assembly for granted, and described the letter as irrelevant as the expenditure had already been made.
The Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, Mr. Kingsley Chinda, said the president acted in breach of the 1999 Constitution by his decision to effect the purchase before approaching the House.
He said, “This matter ($ 462 m ) came up last week . Today , Mr. President has admitted that the expenditure has already been incurred.
“We are supposed to be a watchdog , but as it is, we cannot bite. This is an impeachable offence and there is no misconduct that is more serious than this.
“I propose that we commence the impeachment of Mr. President , based on this infraction.”
The members thereafter moved a motion for the letter to be debated at a latter date.