The Senate Committee on Power on Wednesday took a swipe at the Minister of Power, Mr.Maman Saleh, for siting 20 Rural electrification projects in his Lau Local Government area of Taraba State.
The action, which the senators described as official misconduct, is against his oath of office to be fair to all.
The projects which were captured in the 2021 budget of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) were uncovered during the budget defense of the agency which is under the purview of the minister.
The senator representing Taraba Central Yusuf Yusuf had drawn the attention of the committee to the concentration of over 20 projects at various sums of between N20m to N50m all in the Minister’s Lau Local Government of Taraba State as captured in the budget proposal.
Senator Yusuf, however, indicated that he was not challenging the minister but to set the record straight.
The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Gabriel Suswam, who corroborated Yusuf disclosure, said he was happy that it is the senator from Taraba that has pointed out the anomaly.
The discovery drew the ire of other senators who expressed disappointment that the minister could allow his personal interest to affect his official conduct and decision which they described a very serious matter.
Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah from Kebbi Central while explaining the implication of the betrayal said, “Those who elected us to this office expect that we would ensure that the Constitution which they have made for themselves and given to us will be executed to the letter.
“The President wants to be the President of every citizen of the Federal Republic if Nigeria and he would want loyalty and cooperation from every citizen of the Country. If we sit down here and agree that a budget that pleases a minister, can come, he (minister) is not doing himself good because he has sworn to do justice to all manner of the people and not to allow his personal interest to affect his official conduct and decision.
“He has by this clearly shown that, he has allowed his personal interest to affect his official conduct and decision that is a very serious matter.
“Governance is a very serious issue, I think that this observation, you must take it serious and convey it to the minister that the committee is not in agreement with him.
“We will never sit down and sign this kind of situation. We will be failing in our duties; we will be failing in the oath of office we have taken to protect … the constitution, so please let him know, there is no sentiment on this matter.
“Let us all try as much as we can to operate within the elements of our Constitution like said was given ourselves please”.
▪︎ Report by Nationalupdate.com