Governor Rabiu Kwakwanso
Governor
Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso of Kano State has accused President Goodluck
Jonathan-led Federal Government of not being sincere over its defence of
the seized $9.3m and another $5.7m by the South African government.
He said the seized money by the South
African government under the guise of procuring arms and ammunition to
fight insurgency, contravened established rules and guidelines.
The governor said it was a clear violation of the due process in the procurement.
Kwakwanso spoke in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday
after the public presentation of two laws-Ekiti Magistrate Court Law
2014 and Administration of Criminal Justice 2014-by his counterpart from
Lagos, Raji Fashola (SAN).
Fashola, who described laws and
constitutionality as the bedrock of any nation, said the application of
the Cremation and Public Health Laws gave the state a breakthrough in
its fight against the Ebola Virus Disease that broke out in the country
recently.
Kwakwanso, who had earlier inaugurated
the Ire Burnt Brick Industry revamped by Governor Kayode Fayemi, said
Nigerians must rise up to protect judiciary for the sustenance of the
country’s democracy.
The governor said, “As a former Minister
of Defence, I am very conversant with the way and manner, and the due
process that is required to procure any arms, ammunition or equipment,
there are rules and guidelines. Arms and ammunition are not rice and
beans that you can just go to the market and purchase.
“Many of us were concerned when the
information filtered in. In fact, we didn’t believe it initially, but
along the line, based on the defence of what happened, we realized that
it was a bitter truth that such a thing happened: that money of that
magnitude in an aircraft flown to another nation, I think so many things
have gone wrong. I think it is high time for the Federal Government to
sit up to its responsibilities to ensure that things are being done
correctly.
“Yes, we need arms and ammunition; yes,
we need security in this country, but even under that circumstance,
there are rules and guidelines that must be respected.
“While we are trying to tackle
insurgency, we must follow the due process. Even in the operation there
are rules of engagement; they are very important to protect the lives
and properties of innocent people.”
Kwakwanso wondered why it took the
Federal Government three weeks to accept that over 200 schoolgirls were
abducted by Boko Haram in Chibok.
He said so many things were wrong under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
“That is why we are confident that by
2015 the APC will take over because all that we have seen in insecurity,
unemployment, education…There are so many schools closed down in the
North. Our children cannot go to school because some are being stolen,”
he lamented.
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