By Adetutu Folasade-Koyi and Sule Lazarus (Abuja)
Despite denials last week, it emerged on Tuesday that both Chambers of the federal legislature have shared, at N500 million each, the N1 billion ring-fenced in the 2009 budget for the review of the Constitution, now in limbo.
There are 88 members on the Joint Constitution Review Committee (JCCR), comprising 44 Senators and 44 House of Representatives members; but the JCCR has since split up, with each Chamber going solo on the exercise.
Senators and House members brushed aside opposition from the National Assembly (NASS) management and have started spending the money, which translates into N11.36 million for every one of the 88 reviewers.
A similar amount was allocated and shared in the 2008 budget, divided into N500 million for each Chamber.
It was learnt that the Senate has fixed July to begin its own review, after resumption of the third legislative session on June 23.
The money was accessed after the NASS management, custodians of the N1 billion, caved in under pressure from the JCCR.
Deputy Senate President and JCCR Chairman, Ike Ekweremadu, requested the fund on behalf of Senators; House Deputy Speaker and JCCR Vice-chairman, Usman Nafada, did on behalf of House members.
They routed the request to the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA), Nasiru Arab, who demanded due process and all documents through proper administrative checks before the release.
A NASS source reiterated on Tuesday that "although the funds are being managed by the management of the National Assembly, there is nothing like joint exercise anymore.
"Legislators now make requests for the release of their share through (Arab) who is the accounting officer of the Assembly and head of its bureaucracy.
"(Arab) is in the twilight of his career, so he has asked his officers to scrutinise the applications properly."
The fund was originally meant to be accessed by the JCCR.
But, as it was learnt, the agitation by House members to do their own Constitution review, which led to the collapse of the JCCR, informed the decision of the NASS management to release the money separately to each Chamber.
Another source explained that "following the collapse of the joint review exercise, the legislators have now resolved to spend the N1 billion meant for the exercise on the passage of the seven Bills sent to the National Assembly by President Umaru Yar'Adua.
"It is no longer an intention, the money is now being spent by the separate Chambers."
Last week, Senate Spokesman, Ayogu Eze, distanced the Upper House from any plan to split the N1 billion in half and share it.
"There was no joint appropriation so there is no reason to ask for sharing of the N1 billion fund. The issue of somebody sharing doesn't arise. The request never happened," he stressed.
Also on Tuesday, lawmakers rejected the explanation of House Leader, Tunde Akogun, on how N270 million was spent on the recent retreat in Kano and Uyo.
House Information Committee Chairman, Dino Melaye, insisted on behalf of his colleagues from his hideout that there is no going back on the move to remove Akogun and Chief Whip, Emeka Ihedioha.
Melaye alleged in a telephone interview that the hands of Akogun are not clean as less than 300 members attended the retreat at both centres, and as the events were sponsored by the Kano and Akwa Ibom State Governments.
"For argument sake, lets assume 328 members attended the retreat as claimed by (Akogun) and each member was given N200,000 as honourarium, that means less than N66 million was spent, where is the balance?'', he queried.
Ihedioha is accused of misappropriating part of the N150 million meant for the celebration of 10 years of democracy.
http://odili.net/news/source/2009/jun/17/401.html#
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