Budget Padding: House Lists Condition For Rep Members To Appear Before EFCC
Lekan Paul
Posted On Jun 19, 2017
There are strong indications that some members of the House of Representatives may evade the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) questioning over the alleged padding of the 2016 budget.
This is coming after the House had listed certain conditions under which its members would appear before the EFCC. The invitation of its members, according to the House should be routed through Speaker Yakubu Dogara, it said in a letter to EFCC.
Recall that House Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, was to appear before the commission last Friday but could not appear before the EFCC since the condition is not met.
One of the options is to write a fresh letter to the House, asking Ogor and 12 others, in the first batch of those to be interrogated, to report.
It was learnt that the House, in a letter through its Clerk to EFCC, said the proper process is to request for the release of Ogor or any member through the Speaker.
But the commission is weighing its options on whether or not to accept the condition.
It was however learnt that any member who fails to report to the EFCC might be arrested since representatives do not enjoy immunity.
13 members, including four principal officers, are in the first batch of those already slated for questioning on the alleged budget padding.
The principal officers are Dogara; Deputy Speaker, Lasun Yusuf; Ogor; and House Whip Alhassan Doguwa.
A source in the commission said: “We have received a letter from the Clerk to the House claiming that he was directed by the Speaker to tell the EFCC that Ogor or any Representative be invited through the Speaker.
“We don’t know what informed such a notice but the Clerk was saying it is the norm. We are weighing options including exhausting all hurdles laid by the House.
“We may write the House but at the end if Ogor and other lawmakers refuse to honour our invitation, we will effect their arrest.
“No member of the House has constitutional immunity from investigation and prosecution.”
