The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has criticized the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, describing his recent claims and actions as fraudulent and self-serving over the $418m Paris Club refund.
The Chairman of the group, Kayode Fayemi, told the media after a meeting on Wednesday that the Forum would take every constitutional and legal means to ensure that the purported consultancies are fully litigated by the Supreme Court.
The Minister of Justice had days ago stated that the Governors had no basis to reject the proposed deductions of 418 million dollars from the Paris Club refund because they had been indemnified and conceded that such payments be made to the consultants.
The NGF Chairman insisted that there is no liability by the states and only the courts can determine if the NGF states are indeed liable. Mister Malami, according to him, is acting in his personal and public interest.
In a communique at the end of the meeting, it added: “The Forum extensively reviewed the purported attempt by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Minister of Finance (HMF) to circumvent the law and a recent judgement of the Supreme Court to secure the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to effect payment of the sum of US$418 million to contractors who allegedly executed consultant in respect to the Paris Club refunds to the state and local governments.
A committee was set up comprising the Chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, and Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State to interface with the committee set up by Mr. President to review the matter.”
