Buhari Administration Printed Money Despite Lawmakers’ Warnings — Kalu

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has disclosed that the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari proceeded with printing money despite repeated warnings from members of the National Assembly.

The senator, who represents Abia North Senatorial District, made the revelation during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he discussed the role of lawmakers in supervising the activities of the executive arm of government.

Responding to questions on whether the National Assembly failed in its oversight responsibility, Kalu insisted that legislators should not be held directly responsible for decisions taken by the executive.

He argued that lawmakers do not participate in the day-to-day running of government and therefore cannot be blamed for policies they neither initiated nor implemented.

According to him, the primary responsibility of legislators is to make laws rather than execute government programmes.

When asked specifically about the controversial printing of money during the Buhari administration, Kalu said the National Assembly had expressed concerns over the decision but lacked the authority to stop the executive from carrying it out.

He maintained that he was not part of the executive branch and therefore had no direct role in approving or implementing the policy.

The former Abia State governor further explained that his influence within the Senate was limited because he was neither a principal officer nor a member of every committee handling government finances.

He stated that only those occupying executive positions could be held accountable for such decisions, adding that he would have acted differently if he had been in such a position.

Pressed repeatedly on whether the Buhari administration actually printed money, Kalu answered in the affirmative.

He said the government ignored warnings from lawmakers and went ahead with the policy despite concerns raised at the time.

The senator also rejected attempts to hold him personally responsible for the decision, stressing that he neither authorised nor participated in the printing of money.

During the interview, Kalu defended the economic direction of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, describing government as a continuum.

However, he acknowledged that many Nigerians were still experiencing economic hardship, noting that while reforms may yield long-term benefits, their impact has yet to be fully felt at the grassroots level.