The Presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, has defended approval of $1billion military fund by President Muhammadu Buhari explaining how due process was followed.
Reacting to the criticisms which trailed the approval of the funds, Adesina, in an interview on Channels Television’s News at 10, said the funds wouldn’t have been approved without due process. He explained further that the fund is not meant to fight Boko Haram only, as wrongly perceived by some critics, but to tackle all forms of insurgency in the country.
“It couldn’t have been done before the approval, the approval had to come like it came and then Mr President having approved it, sends a communication to the National Assembly. That’s the right procedure.
“That fund is not meant to battle Boko Haram, it is not Boko Haram fund; it is fund to battle insecurity. Boko Haram is not the only form of insecurity we have in Nigeria,” he said.
The Minister of Defence, Dan-Ali on Wednesday said President Buhari had granted assent for the release of the fund for the procurement of security equipment to fight insecurity.
This has generated various reactions. Although President Buhari had sought the consent of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum before taking the decision, some governors, including Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State had opposed the development.
The approval had also sparked criticism from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP).
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity in his reaction to these criticisms said it is “unfortunate” to attribute it to politics adding that the life of Nigerians does not deserve to be played with politics.
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“As we speak now, the communication to the National Assembly is about ready. Those who have been venting spleen and flexing muscles over the matter should just have bothered to make enquiries from the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters.
“There is not timing that is not good for security. Every time is security time. Those who are reading political meanings to it, it is just very unfortunate they play politics with everything and they will play politics with the very life of Nigerians which is very bad.”
The $1billion approved by President Buhari on Wednesday was from the Excess Crude Account as a bailout fund for the military to purchase equipment to tackle insecurity issues in the country.
