- Court urged to strike out Emefiele’s application on jurisdiction
The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the alleged mismanagement of the N350bn ($232 million) World Bank loan allocated to the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria Programme.
This decision followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by an All Progressives Congress lawmaker from Imo State, Chike Okafor, during Thursday’s plenary session.
ANRIN is a World Bank-funded initiative aimed at tackling Nigeria’s nutritional challenges by improving access to nutrition services for vulnerable groups, including pregnant and lactating women, adolescent girls, and children under five in 12 Nigerian states.
The programme was launched in 2018, with the goal of addressing malnutrition before the target date of December 2024.
Okafor expressed concerns that the programme, despite its noble objectives, has been ineffective, noting that reports and current statistics point to worsening nutritional outcomes.
He cited the recent Nigeria Demographic Health Survey 2023/2024, which indicated increased stunting and malnutrition rates among children under five, raising questions about the impact of the $232 million spent.
“This programme has been described as ‘water, water everywhere but no water to drink,’ a beautiful initiative that promises to solve Nigeria’s malnutrition problems, yet its outcomes have been largely ineffective,” Okafor said.
He further stressed the need for a thorough investigation to assess the extent of the alleged mismanagement of funds, evaluate the programme’s impact, and ensure accountability.
With the motion passed, the House has directed the Committees on Nutrition and Food Security, Finance, Aids, Loans, and Debt Management to conduct the investigation.
These committees are also tasked with inviting the Federal Ministry of Health, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, World Bank, the 12 beneficiary states, and other relevant stakeholders to provide the necessary documentation and insights.
Court urged to strike out Emefiele’s application on jurisdiction
Also, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has asked Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja to strike out an application filed by former Governor of the Central of Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, challenging the jurisdiction of the court.
Through its counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Rotimi Oyedepo, the commission described the application as “a ploy to frustrate the prosecution from conducting its constitutional mandate, which includes diligent prosecution of economic and financial crimes”.
Oyedepo also insisted that the state high court has unfettered jurisdiction to hear and determine the charge on its merit, contrary to the arguments of Emefiele’s lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olalekan Ojo, that the court lacks the jurisdiction to hear the subject matter of the case.
In his application challenging the powers of the court, Ojo had argued that Emefiele could not be tried in any state high court in Nigeria for alleged abuse of office, as this raises significant constitutional and legal issues.
The senior lawyer also argued that counts one to four of the 26-count charges filed against him by the EFCC are unconstitutional, as they are not based on any existing laws in Nigeria.
He submitted that the court does not have jurisdiction to try the offence of abuse of office related to the position of Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria held by the defendant at the time of the alleged crimes.
Ojo, therefore, urged the court to strike out the charge against the defendant for lack of jurisdiction.
In his response, Oyedepo argued that the allegations against Emefiele are economic and financial crimes, which the EFCC is statutorily empowered to investigate and prosecute before the court.
He also submitted that the proper venue where the defendants can be tried for the alleged offences is Lagos State, where all the ingredients of the alleged crimes took place.
Oyedepo asked the court to strike out the application challenging jurisdiction for lack of merit and urged the court assume jurisdiction over the case.
After listening to all the arguments, Justice Oshodi fixed January 7, 2025 for his ruling.
The former CBN boss was arraigned before the court by the EFCC alongside one Herry Omoile on allegations of accepting gratification, accepting gifts through agents, corruption, and fraudulent property receipts.
The anti-graft agency also accused the defendant of conferring corrupt advantage on his associates contrary to the Corrupt Practices Act 2000.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.