News
Senate queries Lai Mohammed for spending N109 million on travels in 3 three months
The lid has been blown open at the ongoing budget defence as budget documents presented to the Senate Committee on Information showed that Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed spent a whopping sum of N109 million as travelling expenses.
Senate panel upon discovery were at a loss, particularly that there was global lockdown with restricted national and international travels.
Upon interrogation, the Minister told the panel that he spent N90m out of N96m budgeted for local travels in 2020 between January and March before the lockdown.
A member of the panel, Senator Francis Onyewuchi Ezenwa asked how he spent the sum of N19 million on international travels amid COVID-19 lockdown, he said: “You will notice that N43m was budgeted, but less than 40% was spent precisely because of the COVID-19 and before then remember that we had travelled to attend several international summits starting UNWTO conference, UNESCO in Spain, in the UK.”
Onyewuchi further said:
“Let me take you on this your 2020 overhead. You have here on Local travels and transport appropriated is N30m you expended N23m on local transport you recieved N96m as appropriated and released you expended N90m.
“On International travels and transport you had N43m you expended N19m.
“So I am wondering during this period of lockdown where nobody was able to go to any country during the 2020 appropriation how were you able to embark on international travels and you expended N19m?
“So we need to look at that critically and you also tell us here in parliament how you were able to do that?
Continuing senator Ezenwa indicated that most part of the year there were travel restrictions, “I am sure you will remember you did a lot of enlightenment programme on this and I am sure you will remember that most of us were prevented from moving into other states, so I dont know how you also had the luxury of spending the entire amount that was appropriated on those travels so those are the information we need to get from your expenditure.”
He said they had also done advocacy in the UK at the same time.”
He said all the expenditure were between January and March. “All before the lockdown, I think our last trip was actually in Addis Ababa when we accompanied the President to the African Union that was about March before the lockdown, the lockdown came at the end of March.
“So whatever we spent here was before the lockdown.”
Onyebuchi asked the minister in charge to avail the committee of details of his local and international travels between the 2020 budget.
The committee also tackled the Minister over zero per cent performance of a controversial project that had 100 per cent funding release from the Ministry of Finance for its execution in the 2020 fiscal year.
Chairman, Senate Committee on information, Senator Danladi Sankara maintained that the Minister of information has a lot of explaination to do over the project that has 100 per cent funding without any work being done.
The controversy over the project started when the Minister explained that the project was sponsored by a lawmaker as constituency project and insert into its 2020 budget.
Senators present at the Senate panel took exception to this and took turns to query the minister over the project, condemning the slow pace of work on a project that should have received accelerated delivery with the requisite fund being made available and insisted that it is not a constituency project.
Senator representing Sokoto South Ibrahim Danbaba had disagreed with the minister saying zonal intervention project were not meant for the session.
“From the document that you have given us, the N250m is an integral portion of your allocation.
Senator onyewuchi said every project is in a constituency so “if you have your mandate project being executed in a constituency, it does not qualify that project to be a zonal intervention project. Zonal intervention project is entirely different.”
The argument continued and the minister said they need clarification from the sponsor of the project.
He said it was not ongoing project neither was it a project that they started.
“It is a project that was introduced into our budget in 2020 and we are following up to ensure the execution of it.”
The minister said the money was released on 24th of september hence the time frame was a problem.
“We will give you more details as to the sponsor of the project, the owner and the constituency but I know that this is a constituency project.
He said the project was a procurement of an equipment in a television station in Gasua but it was included only in the 2020 budget.
Onyewuchi told him to check his details well saying they have been too long in parliament not to know which is constituency project.
The chairman of the committee also asked him to talk to the sponsors of the project.
Senator Danbaba said he is still having some reservation on the expenditure saying that going by the document he presented, the first item was completion of NTA Gasua Station, if it were to be a constituency project it could have not been included there. Secondly if it is also a constituency project there wouldn’t have been any additional explanation.
The President of the Nigerian Senate Godswill Obot Akpabio said, he will not be distracted by the baseless allegation and antics of Elisha Abbo who formerly represented Adamawa North Senatorial District in the Senate, stating that it was unfortunate that the ex-lawmaker has started another round of malicious campaign against him.
This was contained in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Senate President, Hon Eseme Eyiboh, declaring that Elisha Abbo’s outbursts are those of a failed politician who fraudulently represented Adamawa North Senatorial District before the Court intervention cleared him out of way.
Akpabio through his aide was reacting to Elisha Abbo’s blame on Akpabio, suggesting that he was responsible for his electoral woes in an interview he granted on Arise Television on Wednesday while he featured on politics today.
Part of the statement read: “The attention of the Office of the President of the Senate has been drawn to another round of spurious and malicious accusations by Mr. Elisha Abbo, who unlawfully represented Adamawa North Senatorial District save a judicial intervention.
“He has again sought to blame the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, for the travail of his judicial sanction that occasioned his ouster from the Senate.”
Akpabio said he was perturbed the more over Elisha’s outburst on him over an issue he has regretted and apologized to him publicly in 2023—after admitting that his earlier accusation was “premature and based on the available information at his disposal.
He noted further that Abbo had once discussed with him last year and acknowledge that “he was not involved in the judicial process that led to his ouster from the Senate.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Court of Appeal, after a thorough legal process, ruled unequivocally that Mr. Abbo’s presence in the Red Chamber was in error. The court determined that he was not validly elected as the Senator for Adamawa North, and consequently, he was removed.
“The court acted in accordance with the extant laws and the Constitution within its sacred duty to uphold the rule of law. Senator Akpabio, a seasoned lawyer and democrat, holds the independence of the judiciary in the highest regard and would never interfere in its processes.”
Given that Abbo has exonerated him, Akpabio said he found it illogical and irresponsible for him to now turn around and heap blames on him.
“Mr. Abbo has also sought to create the impression that he was unjustly denied official benefits following his ouster. He claims entitlement to salaries, allowances, and even an official vehicle, despite the court’s declaration that his tenure was null and void ab initio.”
Akpabio noted that he has no executive fiat to approve finances, except such has been duly vetted and forwarded to him by the appropriate administrative units in line with the public finance guidelines.
If any of Mr. Abbo’s claims for payment did not reach the desk of the Senate President, it is because they failed to meet these lawful standards—not because of any personal or political vendetta.
It is unfortunate that instead of accepting the consequences of his legal and political failings, Mr. Abbo continues to resort to media theatrics and reckless finger-pointing. Even more telling is his record of public conduct. Nigerians will recall that in 2019, he was caught on video assaulting a female citizen in Abuja—an incident for which he was ordered by a competent court to pay N50 million in damages. This is a matter of public record and speaks volumes about his temperament and disposition.
His recent outbursts about unpaid travels and imagined plots further reinforce the conclusion that his actions are driven not by facts or principle, but by bitterness and desperation to remain politically relevant. These claims are not only baseless, but they reek of grievance and a refusal to accept personal responsibility for his removal and loss of public trust.
Senator Godswill Akpabio remains focused on the noble task of nation-building, providing purposeful leadership in the Senate, and strengthening democratic institutions—especially the independence of the judiciary. He will not be distracted by the antics of individuals who seek to rewrite history to mask personal failures.
We urge Mr. Abbo to reflect deeply, respect the rule of law, and focus on rebuilding the confidence of his constituents if he hopes to return to public life. Nigeria’s democracy can only thrive when its actors show maturity, responsibility, and an abiding respect for the truth.
Structured HQ Legal, (SHQ) has issued a public notice warning against any transactions involving the buying, selling, leasing, or letting of the Hampton Harbour landed property.
The landed property measuring at 19.5 hectares is located at Elegushi Royal Family Land, Ikate Ancient City, Eti Osa, Local Government Area, Lagos State with reference number 376/376/2777GC and belongs to the Baggeren International Company.
In an official press statement issued to the news men, the firm disclosed that the property is currently under legal scrutiny, cautioning that any individual or entity engaging in transactions related to Hampton Harbour does so at their own risk. They also emphasized that unauthorized dealings could lead to significant financial loss and expose parties involved to legal consequences.
SHQ further noted that any person(s) who proceeds with any dealings in relation to the Hampton Harbour property risks both financial loss and potential legal actions noting that such transactions may result in criminal and civil liabilities for trespass or fraud.
The public is strongly advised to exercise caution and ensure due diligence before engaging in any transactions concerning Hampton Harbour. Prospective buyers, investors, or stakeholders must seek formal confirmation and approval from Structured HQ Legal or Baggeren International Company Limited to avoid financial and legal risks.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Thursday said, requirements for recalling Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central Senatorial District were lacking in the petition.
In a statement to update circumstances surrounding a purported petition against Natasha, the INEC said, it has rejected the petition.
The Commission said, Natasha is a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and there are requirements to recall her or any other Senator, but it cannot consider the petitions that lack merits.
Earlier the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, acknowledged receipt of petition against the embattled lawmaker from her constituents after submitting it to the INEC headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central Senatorial District was the former Chairman of Senate Committee on Local Contents, but was suspended from the Senate over alleged breach of Senate Standing Rules.
Natasha disclosed that she has approached the Court to quash her suspension which she claimed was illegal.
According to the petitioners, over 250,000 constituents’ signed the petition, out of about 480,000 registered voters in the senatorial district.
The petition was titled Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence’.
In a brief statement on Thursday, the Commission said, “The petition for the recall of the Senator representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).”
The female lawmaker also on Tuesday defied ban by Kogi State Government and visited her Senatorial District in what she said, was a Sallah visit to felicitate with those who gave her their mandate.
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