Any Politician Who Doesn’t Account For Public Funds Will Be Arrested – Ahmad Lawan

Posted by: Folamidavid in News, Politics Jun 11, 2021

Senate President, Ahmed Lawan

Nigeria’s Senate President, Ahmad Lawan has come out to say that the National Assembly won’t hesitate to arrest government officials that refuse to account for public funds in their trust.

He recently revealed this while fielding questions at a briefing of Editors, Bureau Chiefs and members of the Senate Press Corps to mark the 2nd anniversary of the ninth Senate in Abuja.

According to him, he is certain that Nigeria’s public accounts committee has been doing its best, so the officials have to reciprocate by being cooperative.

Lawan added that he served as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee for eight years, and he has issued arrest warrants for politicians who felt too big in the past.

His words, “The Public Accounts Committee normally works with the report of the Auditor-General for the Federation.”

“[And] the report of the Auditor-General is an annual report. Normally, report infractions where an agency was given money, there was expenditure that the Auditor-General could not understand, he will give thirty days for that organization to come and explain.”

“If the agency does not come forward in thirty days to give an explanation, that issue is put in the Auditor-General’s report.”

“It is not a final indictment, so to speak. The Public Accounts Committee is supposed to invite the agency to come and explain what the Auditor-General is reporting.”

“[And] I’m sure that our public accounts committee has been doing its best. Where an agency refuses to appear, we normally have some other ways of maybe after three invitations to appear, then we go for the warrant of arrest.”

“I served as as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee for eight years, and I had the benefit of getting my Senate President to sign warrant of arrest of some people who felt they were so big. [And] at the end of the day, they ran all over the place looking for soft landing.”