$496m Withdrawal: Tension As Hon. Chinda Moves for Buhari’s Impeachment

There was tension in the House of Representatives on Tuesday as Hon. Kingsley Chinda, the member representing the Obio/Akpor federal constituency of Rivers State moved a motion for the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari over the withdrawal of $496 million from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) for procurement of 12 Super Tucano aircraft, without seeking approval of the National Assembly on Tuesday.

This was after a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari requesting National Assembly’s approval for payment already made for procurement of the aircraft from the US government. In the letter sent to the National Assembly, the president said the U.S. government had given a payment deadline for the aircraft purchase, hence, the need for the hasty approval and payment.

Nevertheless, the Rivers lawmakers said the action of the President constituted an impeachment offence, citing Section 80 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria which deals with the withdrawal of funds from the consolidated revenue funds account.