Withdrawal of $496m tucano aircraft : Outraged senators head for showdown with Buhari
By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor, Henry Umoru & Dirisu Yakubu A BUJA— Senators are headed for a stormy session today, outraged, over the anticipatory approval and payment of $496 million to the United States Government by President Muhammadu Buhari for the purchase of 12 A29 Super Tucano aircraft. The approval for the payment was made without appropriation by the National Assembly, and in direct conflict with the provisions of the constitution, National Assembly members fumed, yesterday. Today’s stormy session is expected to be further aggravated by plans to use the newly amended Legislative Houses and Privileges Act to clamp an indefinite suspension on Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, APC, Delta Central over his alleged role in the invasion of the chambers by thugs, last Wednesday. The amended act signed into law by President Buhari last January, among others, gives the Senate the powers to ban until the end of the session. Meanwhile, the Senate leadership, last night, met on how to di