$418M PARIS CLUB REFUND: GOVERNORS COMPLAINT BASELESS, MERE NOISEMAKING ~ AGF MALAMI

As the controversies surrounding the Paris Club Refund continue, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami has carpeted State Governors and accused them of crying over milk they had already spilt.

Malami said the Governors were not in a position to complain about deductions from the Paris Club refund because they collectively hired consultants who aided the refunds.

The Minister said this on Thursday, when he was featured at the Ministerial Media Briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said the governors acting as state chief executives created the debt liability whose payment they have also indemnified.

Addressing the controversy caused by the recent deductions made from the refund, the Minister affirmed that when the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) asked for refunds, one of the components was the settlement of the consultants who were engaged by the forum.

Malami recalled that when the refund was paid to the states, part payments were also made to the consultants.

However, he said the governors later decided to stop payment while asking for an out-of-court settlement.

The Minister said this resulted in requests to the President to make the payment, a request he said, was then passed on to the Office of the AGF for a legal opinion.

Malami noted that after being subjected to necessary checks, it was found that there was no element of fraud involved.

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