$3 million bribery scandal: We won’t defend corruption -Reps

Posted by admin House, Legislature Monday, June 18th, 2012

Twenty-Four hours after a media report that the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on Fuel Subsidy allegedly collected a $3 million bribe, more trouble appears to be lurking around for members of the law-making body.

The development came even as the leadership of the House has vowed to deal with any of them found guilty in the alleged scam, and assured that it would not condone corruption. Yesterday, it was reported in the media that the Farouk Lawan committee allegedly collected bribe from the chairman of an oil firm to influence the report of the panel that was submitted on April 18, 2012.

But in a statement, Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon Zakari Muhammed, assured that the law-making body would not relent in its efforts to render quality legislation and oversight functions to Nigerians. He said the House inaugurated the ad-hoc committee on the controversial subsidy regime to expose corruption in the sector, hence it cannot, for whatever reason, support any underhand dealing from any quarter.

He said that while the House awaits investigation into what he described as weighty accusation, it would never take sides with corruption and would always stand on the side of the rule of law. The statement reads in part: “The attention of the House of Representatives has been drawn to reports alleging that one of its members has in the course of his committee work as a member of the ad-hoc committee, which investigated the subsidy regime, allegedly received a gratification from an oil baron to exonerate his companies from complicity in the oil subsidy scam.

“However, these accusations, whatever their merits, do not detract from the quality of the work done by the committee.” He said the report of that committee was adopted by the House, adding that the leadership stands by the resolutions of the law-making body. “Today, we are gradually beginning to see the end of this monstrosity that has bedeviled our progress as a nation for so long.

“We hope the Executive will not because of this allegation abandon its commitment towards bringing to justice the culprits already identified in the committee’s report,” he said. However, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it has not formally invited the lawmakers involved in the bribery allegation for questioning.

Spokesman of the commission, Mr Wilson Uwugiaren, said the body had not set aside any day for interrogation of the lawmakers. The committee had probed the fuel subsidy payments by the Federal Government and indicted the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), some oil marketing companies and prominent Nigerians.

However, a twist to the committee’s report emerged on Wednesday when its leadership was alleged to have collected $600,000 from a notable Lagos-based oil marketer. The amount was the first part of the bribe agreed with the oil marketer. A video showing the payment was said to have been shown to some members of the National Assembly as proof that such transaction did take place.

The recent comment by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that the National Assembly was made up of armed robbers and rogues was said to have been based on the bribery deal. The oil magnate is a close friend of Obasanjo.

-Sunwp_posts