The presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNP), Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso, yesterday said the security vote was a means to siphon money and perpetrate corruption in government.
He said if he becomes the president, his administration will not take a dime as security vote.
The NNPP presidential candidate spoke yesterday at the Channels Television Town Hall event, during which he addressed several issues.
He said while he was the governor of Kano, he did not take a dime as a security vote, saying those who draw public funds under the guise of a security vote were actually ripping the public off.
He said: “For the eight years I was a governor, I didn’t take a dime as a security vote, though I inherited a government that believed in that. What I did was to listen to the security challenges from Commissioner of Police and if he or she successfully defended it, I took it to the council for approval.
“Security vote in my own opinion is a big way of stealing money and that was why I didn’t do it as a governor. If I have the opportunity again, there will be nothing like the security vote in the presidency.
“We have seen cases where a lot of funds were been stolen under the guise of security votes and in my opinion, I think that should be stopped.”
He pledged to boost the morale of the security agencies by increasing their personnel and giving them needed training and exposure to make them confront the myriad of security challenges bedevilling the country. He also promised to reduce the lack of coordination among the security personnel.
“We are very much aware of the issue of synergy and coordination within our security sector. And these are very key if we must make notable progress. That was what we did when I was the Minister of Defence.
“We noted that there were many issues within the three military services, the police, and other security agencies. In most cases, there was no understanding and agreement among them. As a minister, I ensured we worked as a team and provided all that they needed to function.
“This we also did when I was the governor of Kano. We created a very conducive atmosphere to function in Kano,” he added.
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