Ad hoc committee set up to investigate the alleged diversion of N700 billion bailout fund by some state governors on Thursday, threatened to invoke relevant section of the Constitution to compel Kemi Adeosun, minister of finance, Godwin Emefiele, governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and Abraham Nwankwo, director-general of Debt Management Office (DMO) to appear before it.
Sadiq Ibrahim, chairman of the committee, who issued the threat notice at the opening of the investigative public hearing held at the National Assembly complex, Abuja, expressed disgust over the failure of the minister, CBN governor and DMO to cooperate with the Committee.
While stressing that the Committee will not be coerced by the Executive or any individual, Ibrahim warned against all forms of impunity by public and political office holders saddled with the responsibility of administering public funds.
“The attitude of these top government officials show who is mismanaging the economy of the country, Nigerians should rise up and call for their resignations immediately.
“If it is to bring virement, they rush down but now they are to come and explain to Nigerians how the bail outs running to over N700 billion were disbursed, they are sending representatives, they are only interested in borrowing, this has to stop.
“This is a government that is fighting corruption, this is impunity of the highest order and where there is impunity all sort of things will happen,” the lawmaker warned.
In his remarks, Adeyinka Ajayi, chairman, House Committee on Aids, Loans and Debt Management vowed that the Committee will not be deterred from carrying out its statutory functions despite the inordinate actions of the Executive on the allegations.
He explained that Section 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) empowers the House and the Committee to initiate investigation into any corruption related allegations with the view to expose corruption in the country, adding that the Committee will not relate with subordinates who will have to report back to their superiors.
“It’s an institutional matter, we must have the CBN Governor and the Minister of Finance before us. We’re going to have technical sessions because of the gravity of the issue at stake, he noted.
In his remarks, Sunday Karimi, sponsor of the motion, expressed reservation over the refusal of the invited stakeholders to provide relevant documents as requested by the Committee.
He said: “this is not acceptable, we are to serve the interest of our people, when funds were disbursed as bail outs to settle workers’ salaries, gratuities and pension but the money were diverted to other things, that is wrong, people are suffering, people are dying and you refused to give us the necessary information.
“The information you supposed to give to us, you are hiding them, this is against the Freedom of Information Act. We are going to conduct a public hearing on this matter during which the Committee will invite all the Workers’ Unions in the whole federation, they will tell the whole world how much was collected as bail outs and how much was paid to them.”
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