Kolade panel illegal, says Yadudu

A UNIVERSITY teacher, Prof. Auwalu Yadudu, yesterday described the Dr. Christopher Kolade-led panel on Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme Board as illegal.The Kolade-led panel has been mandated by President Goodluck Jonathan to oversee and ensure the effective and timely implementation of projects to be funded with the savings accruing to the Federal Government from subsidy removal.But Yadudu who teaches law at the Bayero University, Kano (BUK) maintained that there was no way the Kolade-led panel would administer funds not appropriated by the National Assembly.Yadudu who, alongside members of the Kano chapter of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), participated in yesterday's fuel subsidy protest said : 'Look, at the moment all we hear is that there is a committee to be headed by Kolade and several others as members, that committee has no legal backing,'The money to be made available to it is not supported by the National Assembly and it is not being appropriated and I cannot trust my wellbeing to such eventuality, such a risky arrangement because anything can happen.''There was no legal backing for the Kolade committee. The existing legal instrument and institutions which should give it legitimacy have spoken loudly and they don't support it. Government cannot spend a kobo without appropriation. Kolade cannot spend a kobo based on the President's order. He cannot spend a kobo whether from the subsidy or any money accruing to the Federal Government without law. As far as I am concerned, it is all illegal.
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