Buhari seeks senate’s approval to pay $556m, £98m, N226bn judgement debts

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the senate to approve a request to pay various sums as judgment debts.

The amounts — $566,754,584, £98,526,012 and N226 billion — are said to be owed by the federal government.

Ahmed Lawan, senate president, read the president’s letter of request at the plenary session on Wednesday.

In the letter, Buhari said the debts were secured during litigations against federal ministries, departments and agencies of the federal government.

He said the settlement of the judgment debts had been approved by the federal executive council (FEC) during its meeting on March 29, 2023.

“Request for the settlement of Nigeria judgement debts secured by the federal ministries, department and agencies through the issuance of promissory notes,” the letter reads.

“The distinguished senate president may wish to be informed that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in its meeting on March 29, 2023, approved the settlement of top priority judgement debts secured by federal ministries, departments and agencies MDAs through the issuance of promissory notes.

“The judgement debts have been settled through the issuance of promissory notes which will then be reviewed over time for convenience for the federal government or of Nigeria.

“The attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice and the other team of finance, budget and national planning may provide any information that will be required for the consideration of this request.”

TheCable had recently reported that the office of the auditor-general (OAGF) accused the ministry of justice of not following due process in the disbursement of funds earmarked for judgement debts.

The OAGF report said between 2017 and 2018, N10.4 billion was earmarked as judgement debts, and the sum was disbursed without a committee required for that purpose.

The report said the last time the ministry had such a committee was in 2013.

Abubakar Malami has been the minister of justice and attorney-general of the federation (AGF) since 2015.

The senate public accounts committee which examined the OAGF’s report is chaired by Mathew Uhroghide, senator representing Edo south.

The report said if the practice is allowed to continue, the federal government would lose funds earmarked to pay judgement debts.

The senate agreed with the OAGF that the ministry of justice should discontinue the payment of the funds and constitute a panel for that purpose immediately.