National Executive Council has carpeted Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, over his recent claim that the Central Bank of Nigerian printed the sum of N60 billion to augment March’s federal allocation.
The allegation by Obaseki had been denied by the CBN; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed; and the Progressives Governors Forum, among others.
Reacting to the development, NEC in its meeting on Thursday said the claim by Obaseki was far from the truth.
The council revealed this in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, titled ‘OVP Flash: No money was printed to shore up March allocation, NEC affirms’.
According to the state, NEC stated that “Having received presentations from the Minister of Finance, the Central Bank Governor and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the National Economic Council has affirmed that there was no printing of N60bn or any other amount whatsoever to shore up allocation for the month of March as wrongly insinuated recently in the press.
“The governors, having critically reviewed the matter, took the position today (Thursday) at the meeting of NEC chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
“Today’s meeting attended by many of the state governors, FCT minister and the Central Bank Governor also had in attendance the finance, transport, information, aviation and water resources ministers.
“The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning also attended.
“The council expressed satisfaction with clarifications made by the NGF represented by its chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, finance minister, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, and the Central Bank Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, on the alleged printing of N60bn by the Federal Government.”
The statement added that the CBN governor had confirmed to the council that nothing of such occurred.