Bukola Saraki Media Office has accused the Buhari Media Office (BMO) of ignorance on the purchase of Super Tucano light attack aircraft by Nigeria from the United States.
The BMO had in a statement signed by its chairman, Niyi Akinsiju, and secretary, Cassidy Madueke, claimed Saraki, who highlighted the deal as part of the achievements of the eighth Senate which he oversaw, was just trying to make himself look good while seeking the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party.
BMO further said the Saraki-led Senate threatened to impeach the President for granting “anticipatory approval for the release of $496,374,470 from the Excess Crude Account directly to the Treasury of the US Government for the purchase of the 12 aircraft.”
However, head of Saraki’s media office Yusuph Olaniyonu in a counter-statement on Monday evening, said the US refused to sell military equipment to Nigeria because the country was then categorised as one of those nations whose military engaged in violation of the rights of the citizens and therefore were in constant violation of Leahy’s law.
Olaniyonu said Section 362 of Title 10 of the US Code, otherwise called Leahy’s law, prevents the US from providing equipment, training, and other assistance to a foreign security force if the Secretary of Defence has credible information that such unit has committed a Government Violation of Human Rights.
“Thus, whatever discussion the US President Donald Trump was said to have had with his Nigerian counterpart, the US policy was not about to change except the Congress agreed to such change. Most importantly, the US would not change such an important policy without the guarantee from the beneficiary country’s legislature,” he said.
