N1trn petition: Akpabio, others misinformed – Senate

insists on probing EFCC boss

The Senate on Tuesday said Godswill Akpabio, minority leader of the Senate, was misinformed about the probe of Ibrahim Lamorde, chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over N1 trillion petition levelled against him.

To this end, the Senate has insisted that the probe will hold as scheduled.

Lamorde is expected to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on Wednesday at 10am, Meeting Room 120 of the New Senate Building, National Assembly Complex, Abuja.

The fraud allegedly committed by the EFCC chairman dates back to his days as director of operations of the Commission between 2003 and 2007, and as acting chairman of the Commission between June 2007 and May 2008, when the then chairman of the anti-graft agency, Nuhu Ribadu, was away on a course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos.

In an advertorial on Monday, Akpabio, who doubles as the chairman, PDP Senate caucus, averred that this was not the appropriate time to embark on the probe “since the same action was mooted and had failed at previous plenary session.”

The statement was also signed by other PDP minority principal officers: Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Bwacha; Minority Whip, Philip Aduda, and Deputy Minority Whip, Biodun Olujimi.

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, Samuel Anyanwu, chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, said Akpabio had already apologised to the committee for misinforming the public.

He clarified that the Committee was not on a witch-hunt but on a fact-finding mission.

Anyanwu, who is also a PDP senator, maintained that there was no division in the Senate, saying that 10 petitions had been submitted to the committee so far.

On the claim by the PDP lawmakers that the Senate had earlier rejected a resolution calling for Lamorde’s invitation, he said: “There was an amendment of a motion at the floor of the Senate where the CBN governor was to be invited with the EFCC boss regarding naira depreciation and its implications. But we stood it down.

“There was a misinformation. So, he thought that it was the same issue. But this is a petition against the person of the EFCC boss. He (Akpabio) called and he felt sorry about that.

“There are other petitions which we have invited the petitioners and those that petitioned against. We have FIRS, comptroller-general of Customs that is also coming tomorrow (today).”

The committee, he said, is guided by its Standing Rules and the 1999 Constitution (as amended), in carrying out its duties.

On what would be the line of action should the EFCC boss refuse to turn up, Anyanwu said: “I cannot conclude that now because I’m pre-empting what is not available yet until tomorrow (today) if he doesn’t come. He is not summoned, this is an invitation.”

But a member of the PDP caucus, Ighoyota Amori (Delta Central), called for suspension of Lamorde’s invitation, saying: “Our position is that since that invitation failed to sail through in the floor earlier, the committee should apply caution and suspend the invitation for now.”

Also speaking, an APC senator, Rafiu Ibrahim (Kwara South), said the invitation was in order.

“Every Nigerian has right to write to the Senate and all issues will be taken very serious without bias by this eighth Senate. We have keyed in totally to the anti-corruption fight as being led by President Muhammadu Buhari. The parties involved just need to proof their facts and the Senate will make appropriate recommendations to be executed or not by the Executive,” he said.