By Philip Nwosu
The Transparency and Accountability Network (TAN) has called on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to examine concerns raised over federal budget appropriations during the tenure of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
The organisation also urged political parties to consider the issues raised in its statement as part of their assessment of aspirants seeking elective office, including Adeola’s reported governorship ambition in Ogun State.
In a statement signed by its President, Dr Oluwole Oladapo, and titled “Senator Solomon Adeola (Yayi) Cannot Go Into An Election Without Clearing Allegations of Appropriation Corruption,” TAN called for a comprehensive review of the concerns through the appropriate official channels.
The group said public office aspirants should be prepared to address questions relating to transparency, integrity and accountability.
“Nigeria is not a Banana Republic that can be operated as a private commercial enterprise,” the organisation said, stressing the importance of transparency and accountability in public financial management.
Adeola represents Ogun West Senatorial District in the National Assembly and has served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations. TAN said it wanted relevant authorities to examine aspects of the federal budget process during his tenure.
The organisation called on anti-corruption agencies to review the senator’s oversight responsibilities and the procedures used in preparing and approving federal budgets.
“Beyond identity disputes, we are calling on relevant anti-corruption agencies to immediately intervene and investigate the Senator’s performance as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations,” the statement said.
TAN also referred to a petition reportedly submitted to the ICPC by the Pan African Society for Social and Economic Change (PASSEC), concerning federal budgets between 2023 and 2026.
According to TAN, the petition raised questions about project identification, possible duplication of budget items and the allocation of funds to agencies whose statutory responsibilities may require further examination.
The organisation urged the ICPC to clarify the status of the petition and determine whether the issues raised warranted further investigation.
TAN also argued that challenges associated with annual budget implementation should be examined across the executive and legislative arms of government, including the National Assembly’s budgetary oversight processes.
“All Nigerians are aware of the scandalous and epileptic nature of annual budget implementation in this country,” the statement said.
The group maintained that the effectiveness of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the wider budget oversight framework deserved public scrutiny.
“The democratic values of our nation are at stake when serious allegations are glossed over by political structures. We cannot treat allegations of this magnitude as mere political noise,” Oladapo said.
TAN called on relevant government agencies to examine the concerns raised and provide clarification where necessary. It also urged political parties to give appropriate consideration to transparency and accountability when assessing candidates for public office.
The organisation further called for political parties to consider its request that decisions relating to Adeola’s governorship ambition be deferred until the issues it raised had been examined.
The concerns outlined by TAN remain allegations and calls for official scrutiny. No finding of wrongdoing by the senator is established by the information presented in the organisation’s statement.
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