State governors under the umbrella of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) met last night at the Old Banquet Hall of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.
This was ahead of the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) scheduled to hold today.
The closed-door meeting was presided over by the chairman of the forum and governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari.
It was gathered that the session reviewed the ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the N522 billion Paris Club loan refund to states.
Investigators of the anti-corruption agency were said to have earlier summoned the three signatories to the NGF’s account.
A highly placed source in the Presidency told our correspondent yesterday that there were reports that some of the governors diverted the Paris Club loan refund to private pockets.
The Presidency had last December approved N522.74 billion to be paid to the 36 states of the federation as part of the reimbursement for the over-deductions of the Paris Club loan.
States had submitted to the Federal Government, their claims for such deductions for foreign debt servicing between 1995 and 2002 as a result of the first line charge deductions from the federal allocations.
The outcome of yesterday’s meeting was not known at the time of filing this report.
Immediately after the meeting, the NGF held a valedictory ceremony/dinner for the immediate past governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole and the outgoing governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko.
The event, which was attended by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, was still ongoing as at press time.
