Security vote ‘is a big way of stealing … N10 million in a day seven times, ten times’ he says
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
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“For the eight years I was Governor, I never took one naira on the issue of security votes, and I inherited from governments where they were taking N10 million in a day seven times, ten times.
“In fact, at a stage, we had a record of 12 times because the Governor can only approve N10 million so they would take N10 million times whatever number they wanted.”
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Security vote – an undisclosed and unaudited vast sum kept by the President and Governors – is another way of stealing big from the treasury, Rabiu Kwankwaso has disclosed, with a pledge to stop it if elected to the Villa.
He cited his experiences when he served two separate terms as Kano Governor (1999 to 2003 and 2011 to 2015) to buttress his claim that Nigeria has more than enough money to take of all citizens, only that so much of it stolen by all manner of devices.
Kwankwaso was speaking on Sunday night at the town hall organised by Channels Television in collaboration with UK Aid, Hope Action Progress for Women and Youth in Politics, Situation Room, Yiaga Africa and Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL).
The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) attended the meeting in Abuja along with his running mate Isaac Idahosa.
The forum tackled security, the economy, education, and other key issues.
Stealing through security vote
“For the eight years I was Governor, I never took one naira on the issue of security votes, and I inherited from governments where they were taking N10 million in a day seven times, ten times,” Kwankwaso said, per Nairametrics reporting.
“In fact, at a stage, we had a record of 12 times because the Governor can only approve N10 million so they would take N10 million times whatever number they wanted.
“The only thing that we did not publish for the eight years I was Governor was the money given to the security agents but we have the record.
“So, security votes, in my own opinion, is a big way of stealing money because that is why I have never done it; if I have the opportunity again, there would not be anything like security votes in the Presidency.
“So, we have seen cases where a lot of money is been siphoned in the name of security votes and nobody can defend it, and I think that should be stopped using whatever means because it’s only a good way of taking cash from the treasury.
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Enough money to cater for all citizens
“There is so much money in this country, anybody who says there is no money either doesn’t know or wants to be mischievous,” Kwankwaso, per Nairametrics.
“There is enough money to take care of each one of us in this country; we have done it in Kano from 1999 to 2003, we met a lot of debts, but we paid the debts after eight years.
“When I went back [as Governor] I met debts of hundreds of millions of US dollars, and we settled them before I left in 2015.
“I’m talking of borrowing money either from banks or individuals. We have never borrowed. So I believe that can be replicated, to a very large extent, at the national level.
“I will not say I will not borrow but if they are important things pay themselves, not borrow to pay salaries, handle current expenditures and so on. I believe there is even more than enough money in this country to handle that.”
National debt servicing
Kwankwaso said if elected President he would negotiate with creditors to reschedule payment of Nigeria’s debt so the country can have money for other things.
“The situation, as we are being told now, is that whatever we are getting as our resources, as our money in this country, is not even enough to service our debt. I think that is what we have heard.
“Now the issue is that any responsible government from day one will sit down with all the people, and creditors and see how debts can be rescheduled. There has to be a negotiation.
“You cannot be collecting all your resources and paying interest to the creditors, there has to be an arrangement to make sure that you are given a breathing space so that you can start bringing in the good things that are necessary for the country to move forward.’’