Socio-Economic Right and Accountability Project has given all 36
states governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, a one-week ultimatum to provide the loan agreements and spending details of the loans obtained by their states and the FCT.
A statement issued on Sunday by the organisation’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, explained that details and locations of projects executed with the loans that amount to N5.9 trillion and $4.6 billion are to be included.
It urged the state governors and the FCT minister to widely publish copies of its requests as it would help keep Nigerians in the know of how their states’ governments spent their loans, and also ensure that persons with public responsibilities are answerable to the people for the performance of their duties in the management of public funds.
SERAP also urged them to promptly invite the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the spending of the domestic and external loans obtained by their state and the FCT.
The statement noted that its request followed the disclosure made by Governor Sani, on Saturday, when he lamented the huge debt inherited from his predecessor, Nasir El-Rufai, on May 29, 2023, saying that the state is now left with a few amounts, not enough to pay salaries, as his administration inherited a total of $587m, N85bn and 115 contract liabilities from the ex-governor.
