Eminent lawyer and activist, Chief Goddy Uwazurike, has slammed the state governors who under the aegis of the National Economic Council (NEC) last Thursday approved the withdrawal of a princely $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) for the war against Boko Haram insurgents.

The President Emeritus of Igbo think tank Aka Ikenga described the action as hypocritical and declared that NEC has no authority to take such a decision as its role is merely advisory.

He said in a statement issued on Monday in Lagos: “The National Economic Council is one of those constitutional bodies with strict roles. In this case, it is advisory. The decision is not binding.

“The only way to look at this decision is that it has advised the Federal Allocation committee to share the same excess earnings for which APC vilified President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Indeed, the opposition governors who gleefully took GEJ to court are basking in this crooked decision. The purpose of the withdrawal is to fight the already defeated Boko Haram.

“I am aware that the only item on the table of the government is 2019 election for which primaries will be next year. The APC has a huge credibility issue. The very items it used in the campaign against GEJ are the ones it’s using. It is a notorious fact that only the national assembly can appropriate funds for the nation. The GEJ administration only asked for the approval of the National Assembly to receive weapons.”