Following
the recent bribery scandal rocking the lower house of the National
Assembly, the House of Representatives this morning at its emergency
plenary slammed indefinite suspension on embattled chairman of the
bribery allegation riddled fuel
subsidy probe committee Hon. Farouk
Lawan. The house immediately mandated the House committee on ethics to
look into the allegation made against the lawmaker to establish the
veracity of the claims.
But the Speaker, Hon. Aminu Waziri
Tambuwal maintained that the reports of the adhoc committee remained
valid and should be implemented to the later irrespective of bribery
allegations levelled against members of the committee. The house
therefore called on the Federal Government to implement its report on
Subsidy Management.
Lawan who has been accused of receiving a
bribe of $3million from Nigerian Billionaire businessman and Chairman
Zenon Oil, Chief Femi Otedola also stands suspended as the Chairman of
the Education Committee of the House.
Announcing the suspension, Speaker
of the House of Reps, Hon, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal appointed the
Management of National Assembly to investigate the embattled Secretary
of the subsidy probe panel and staff of the National Assembly, Boniface
Emenalo to determine his level of culpability.
Tambuwal also mandated Hon. John
Enoh (PDP, Obubra, C’River) to replace suspended Farouk Lawan as
Chairman of the Adhoc committee on subsidy.
Hon. Farouk Lawan a fourth term
Parliamentarian is currently facing allegations of demanding $3million
bribe from Femi Otedola of Zenon Oil. Otedola said Lawan collected
initial payments $500,000 and sent Emenalo to collect $120,000 at a
later date.
The Company in the middle of the
bribery allegations, Zenon Oil, owned by business tycoon Femi Otedola,
had been asked by the House to pay back $232m to federation account.
Meanwhile Speaker Tambuwal has
restated the resolve of the House to stand by the Report of the fuel
subsidy probe with the aim of implementing it to the latter.
The House of Representatives this
morning called on the Federal Government to march words with actions by
implementing the report of its adhoc committee on Subsidy Management.
In the house Emergency session, Hon
bawa moved a motion removing farouk as chairman and putting back otedola
companies as one those that collected forex but did not import fuel.
In another dramatic development,
members of Parliament has passed a vote of confidence in the Aminu
Tambuwa-led leadership even in the face of heavy scandals and
controversies.
Addressing members of the House
during Friday’s plenary, the speaker reiterated that the House would not
be cowed even as it would not condone corrupt practices from any of
its members. He stated that allegations of bribery against some of the
members of lower chamber will serve as impetus for the House to do more
in its oversight functions.
Full Text Of The Speaker's speech at the plenary session today:
We are on course: Being text of remarks by the speaker, house of
representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (CFR) on the occasion of
the special plenary session of the house on Friday 15th June 2012
Protocols
My Dear Honourable Colleagues,
I now formally welcome you to this Special Session of Plenary
which has been summoned pursuant to Order 5(18)(2) of the Standing Rules
of the House of Representatives. It is the Second Special Session since
the 7th House of Representatives was inaugurated on the 6th June 2011.
2.The object of the Session, which you have just accomplished, is
to deliberate on grave allegation of bribery brought against a member
of this Hallowed Chambers. Hon. Farouk Lawan by Mr. Femi Otedola, an oil
marketer, in connection with the work of the Ad-Hoc Committee on the
Monitoring of Fuel Subsidy Regime empanelled by the House for that
purpose.
3.In accordance with our Legislative Agenda we must continue to
be, not only sensitive to the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians but
also proactive on all matters of urgent National importance, therefore,
while I apologize for the inconveniences caused to members by this
sudden recall from the recess, I trust, we all appreciate that this is a
call to important civic duty for our dear country.
4.Hon. Colleagues, when we elected to pursue the entrenchment of
probity, accountability and transparency in the conduct of government
business as a cardinal Legislative Agenda we advised ourselves never to
expect that it will be an easy task. Accordingly I have had cause to
occasionally sound a note of warning and reminder that our
constitutional task is inescapably hazardous requiring total commitment,
diligence, transparency; determination and sacrifice.
5.The Constitution has given the parliament three broad duties,
which include Law Making, Representation and Oversight. It is
interesting to note that of these three, it is that last function, which
gives legislature the powers to conduct oversight, that has tended to
cause conflict between the legislature and the Executive and remains the
most controversial. Yet. it would have been impossible to conduct the
other two functions successfully if the Constitution had not given the
parliament oversight powers: the single most potent weapon that makers
of the Constitution put in place to check abuse by those who execute its
law.
6.In full compliance with the Constitutional prescription in S
62(1) and (2) the House has always ensured that all Committees
empanelled by it, be they Ad-Hoc or Standing, are given a clear mandate.
I find it compelling to state for the umpteenth time that the
constitutional power of investigation conferred on the Legislature is
for the purpose of law reform and for the exposure of corruption,
inefficiency or waste in the execution or administration of laws within
its legislative competence and in the disbursement or administration of
funds appropriated by it. In the exercise of this function there shall
be no sacred cows.
7.I have emphasized the constitutionality of the oversight
function of the legislature because there lingers among many public
officials, the notion that in holding public or investigative hearings,
the Legislature is over stepping its bounds and also neglecting its
other functions. Nothing can be further from the truth. The records of
our performance for the first legislative year, which just ended on 6th
June 2012, show that the performance in the area of legislation was
equally impressive.
8.I wish at this point to make this pledge that the House of
Representatives shall continue to act responsibly by ensuring that all
investigations are instituted only when absolutely necessary.
Furthermore, we shall insist on probity and fairness on the part of our
members conducting such investigations; and we shall not hesitate to
sanction anyone who in the course of these investigations overreaches
himself or uses the process to intimidate anyone or engages in
corruption.
9.The recent investigations into two Sectors, namely Oil Subsidy
Regime and Capital Market were conducted in public, evidence and
testimonies were freely given and taken and in the case of oil subsidy
regime, monumental fraud was disclosed in the report of the Ad-Hoc
Committee which has since been passed by the House and referred to the
Executive for implementation by relevant agencies.
10.While we consider it preposterous and hasty to dismiss the
current bribery allegations, pending the outcome of ongoing
investigations, including our in-house investigation just instituted, we
reject in totality insinuations being orchestrated in some media to the
effect that the allegations have eroded the integrity of the
Resolutions of the House on the report and rendered same unworthy of
implementation.
11.Let me reiterate that the resolutions of the Hose over the
fuel subsidy regime remain valid despite this recent controversy. We
must as a country learn to separate institutions from individuals and we
must admit that, in the present case, the alleged conduct of an
individual cannot negate the conclusions of the whole House. Let me also
reaffirm here that we have not been compromised and we shall never
compromise our stand against corruption. The credibility of that report
therefore remains inviolable and we stand by it.
12.May I, therefore, urge the Executive to match words with
action in the implementation of these resolutions. As just resolved by
motion, relevant Committees of the House must diligently monitor the
implementation of the resolution by agencies under their supervisory
jurisdiction and report back to the House within reasonable time.
13.My Dear Colleagues, the scope of our resolve for transparency
in the conduct of government business includes all the arms of
government; all public functionaries and all persons doing business with
government or operating under Acts of the legislature. As members of
parliament we enjoy no immunity and we seek none, let us therefore
remind ourselves constantly that we must live above board. We offer
ourselves for public scrutiny at all times in our effort to build a
better Nigeria. As humans where we err and our attention is called we
shall be willing to make amends in the overall national interest.
14.I call upon all of us to remain firm, resolute and committed
to the execution of our constitutional mandate whatever the hazards. We
must NEVER repeat NEVER be cowed or intimidated by any form or colour of
antics that may be fashioned with intent to dampen our spirits and or
break our resolve. It remains for me to say that, when the army suffers
causalities of a few officers and men at the battlefront, it beats no
retreat except it does not intend to win the battle. I am confident that
men and women of integrity and character are in the overwhelming
majority in our fold and we do not lack the numbers to prosecute the
battle. We shall be judged not only by our words but more so by our
actions.
15.To the good people of Nigeria we appeal for patience and
understanding and wish to once more assure you of our sincerity of
purpose and the determination to deliver the Nigeria of our dreams. The
road may be rough and herculean but victory is sure.
16.Now therefore is the time to double the pace of our
performance, including the investigative hearings, given that from the
monumental fraud uncovered through these investigations, we know that we
are surely on course.
17.The current unfortunate bribery allegation, whatever the
outcome of ongoing investigation can only serve as impetus for us to do
more, in the quest for the entrenchment of probity in governance.
18.In addition to routine oversight, we shall investigate
everything that needs to be investigated in the process of the
fashioning of a better Nigeria. In this regard, we shall continue to
seek synergy with the other arms of government so as not to work at
cross-purposes.
19.May the Almighty God grant us the Courage and Grace to do what is right at all times and in all situations.
Thank you all.
For a while, it seemed that the storm which
brewed when the Director General of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh appeared before the Herman Hembe led
House of Representatives Committee on Capital Markets, had managed to
sweep away only the lawmaker, leaving the SEC DG unscathed. Hon
Hembe was dropped as chairman of the committee, and was even charged to
court subsequently by the EFCC, whereas nothing happened to Ms Oteh.
Apparently, that situation is about to change, as the board of the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has decided to send Oteh on
compulsory leave, pending the investigation into allegations about her
stewardship.
