Leader of the reformed People’s Democratic Party (r-PDP) in Adamawa, Dr. Umar Ardo has threatened to sue the state house of assembly for hastily approving an N17bn loan facility by the state government without recourse to due process.
Ardo noted that it was preposterous for the assembly to behave as if it was an appendage of the executive arm by doing its bidding hook, line, and sinker.
He said he was astounded to learn that the assembly after referring the loan request to the house committee on appropriation and budget for two weeks deliberation, turned around in less than 24 hours to give the governor the nod to collect the loan.
” This is a request that was submitted and read on the floor of the House on Tuesday. It was then duly referred to the House Committee on Appropriation and Budget for proper deliberations, and was given two weeks to submit its report.
“Astonishingly, in less than 24hrs, the so-called House Committee returned its so-called report recommending the approval of the loan. And the House sat in a plenary and approved the loan.
” The entire process – from submission and reading of the request to referring the matter to the Committee, to the deliberation of the Committee, to the writing and submission of its report, to the plenary sitting and approval of the loan request – is all within 24hrs.
“Is this a joke? Are we actually serious as a people? Where on earth can this happen? Why are Adamawa people being taken for granted? What kind of government are we running in the state? What kind of representations do the people of Adamawa have? I cannot stop asking questions! Just because some people want to continue doing what they are known for – misappropriating and embezzling public funds – all sorts of rubbish is being heaped on the poor people of this state.
” Doesn’t PDP as a party has a benchmark in governance? This is an embarrassment and a disgrace to the party to be dishing this kind of leadership to Nigerians.
“We must not allow this destruction of our people’s future in the name of governance to stand. To this end, therefore, I am instituting forthwith a suit against the Adamawa State House of Assembly and joining the state government and the creditor banks as due process was not adhered to in processing the legislative requirements for this loan,” he said.
The Newshawk recalls that the state government has on Tuesday forwarded to the state house of assembly a loan request of N17bn to enable the government to carry out what is referred to as “critical projects” in the state although the projects were not lucidly stated.
The assembly on Wednesday gave the governor the nod to go ahead and secure the loan which elicited considerable public disquiet in view of the heavy loan which is weighing down the progress of the state for which the government said it was paying more than N1 billion monthly to service.
