NEC opens up on Obaseki’s N60bn claim

Nigeria’s National Economic Council (NEC), headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has refuted claims by Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki that the federal government printed money to support allocations to states in March.

The Council’s position was among resolutions adopted at the 4th 2021 meeting of NEC, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, which also had in attendance State Governors, FCT Minister and the Central Bank Governor.

Also at the meeting were the Finance, Transportation, Information, Aviation and Water Resources Ministers, and the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning.

Taking a position on the alleged printing of N60 billion after receiving presentations from the Minister of Finance and the Central Bank Governor, the National Economic Council (NEC) stated that the claim as reported in the press is outrightly false, affirming that no money was printed to shore up allocation for the month of March.

A statement by Laolu Akande, a spokesman to the country’s Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo said the council affirmed this position at its meeting on Thursday.

“Having received presentations from the Minister of Finance, the Central Bank Governor, and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), the National Economic Council (NEC) has affirmed that there was no printing of N60 billion or any other amount whatsoever to shore up allocation for the month of March as wrongly insinuated recently in the press,” the statement read.

The governors also strongly affirmed Nigeria’s unity and welcomed the report of a national town hall meeting on National Security

“On the resolution of security concerns in parts of the country, the Council unanimously affirmed the unity of Nigeria and said it would adopt the report of the national town hall meeting on National Unity and Security held recently in Kaduna,” the statement also read.

“The Council, while welcoming the outcome of the town hall meeting, urged all States to hold wider consultations across the country and report back to NEC the outcome of the meetings. After this, a national consensus would be reached on the recommendations which included the adoption of State Police among other matters.”