After meeting with Buhari, Gov Wike says $1bn ECA fund to fight B’Haram is illegal

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike on Friday, told newsmen that the $1 billion from Excess Crude Account (ECA) recently approved by the governors to fight insurgency was illegal.

He stated this after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Wike however said that as a right thinking person, he was not opposed to the fight against insurgency in the North-east which the money is meant for.

The governor went further to say that it would also be good that money is also taken from the ECA to address environmental issues in the Niger Delta especially in Ogoniland.

He told State House correspondents, “I’m happy with the discussion and I believe that something has to be done about (security) it. Nothing political just security issue that affects the state and things that may lead to the breakdown of law and order. We talked on security challenges and he received me very well.

“We don’t have any bad relationship, I come here when he asks me to come.”

On $1 billion ECA for Boko Haram fight he said, “Even though for me it’s illegal, however, we are told we are fighting insurgency and no right thinking person in the country will say that he would not support the government in fighting against insurgency.

“But on the other hand too, I believe that when you are talking about environmental issues in the Niger Delta particularly the Ogoniland I believe that we can also take money from there (Excess Crude Account) to solve the problem of Ogoniland and other Niger Delta areas. That is my position.”

Read also: Presidency lists its 17 major achievements in 2017

Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose and his Akwa Ibom counterpart, Emmanuel Udom, have openly disagreed with the approval of the ECA money to fight insurgency in the North-east.

Already, Ekiti State and its local government chairmen have dragged the Federal Government to court to challenge the approval of the money which belongs to the three arms of government.

 

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