The Legislative Council of the Nnamdi Azikwe Hall has demanded a letter of apology from the Hall Chairman, Mr Joshua Ejemeka, and Finance Minister, Mr Sulaimon Popoola, at the recent legislative sitting held on Saturday, 31st July 2021, in respect to the lateness in changing the signatories to the account of the Hall.
The sitting which was held for the primary purpose of budget review, started with the review and approval of the budget of the Health Minister for the sum of ₦67,705, a sum of ₦15,800 was approved for the Sport Minister, a pre-budget of ₦11,000 was approved for the Finance Minister, while a sum of ₦48,250 was approved for the budget of the Information and Propaganda Minister, while the review of the Social Minister’s budget was adjourned to the next sitting, due to time factor and unresolved discrepancies.
Drama unfolded when the Council called out the executives for its slow reaction in dealing with the signatory issue of the Hall’s account at the start of the first semester which disrupted the annual tutorial plans of the General Secretary of the Hall. The Legislative Council demanded an apology which is to be presented at the next sitting, for what they tagged as negligence on the part of the Executive Council in effecting the efficient change of signatory to the office of the Finance Minister and a non-acknowledgement of a letter sent by the council to that effect.
It was reported that a letter was addressed to the Executive Council by the Legislative Council’s clerk, through the office of the Hall Secretary; who claimed to have sent the letter to the WhatsApp group of the Executive Council, which all members of the Executive Council admitted to have seen, except for the Finance Minister, who claimed not to be aware of any of such and the Hall Chairman, who claimed to have seen it, but could not locate it on his phone, which tantamount to not having the letter.
The Legislative Council agreed to pardon the Executive Council for the negligence exhibited during the signatory and letter saga, but demanded a written apology from the Hall Chairman and the Financial Minister, as the prime culprits of the offence, which is to be presented the council at the next sitting.
The sitting was adjourned to the following week, on the 7th of August 2021, as the Council was not able review other budgets due to time constraints.
