Dissolution of reps’ ad hoc c’ttee raises dust as alleged $1.7m bribe surfaces

The House of Representatives, the Deputy Speaker and the Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, have debunked allegations of $1.7 million given by the lawmaker to secure the chairmanship of the committee. They debunked the allegations in separate statements on Wednesday.  The house spokesperson, Akin Rotimi Jr, in his statement, dismissed […]

The House of Representatives, the Deputy Speaker and the Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, have debunked allegations of $1.7 million given by the lawmaker to secure the chairmanship of the committee.

They debunked the allegations in separate statements on Wednesday. 

The house spokesperson, Akin Rotimi Jr, in his statement, dismissed the bribery allegation, as well as the reported rift between the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, and his Deputy, Kalu.

The allegations were coming on the heels of the decision by the house leadership to dissolve and reconstitute the Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Petroleum Resources (Midstream and Downstream) investigating infractions in the operations of the downstream and midstream oil sector.

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Rotimi said that at no time did the house leadership or anybody for that matter receive inducement for the appointment of any committee chairman.

He said it was an assignment executed diligently by the selection committee of the house between June and July, 2023, which had a member from each of the states of the federation.

He further said that the action taken by the house to dissolve the ad hoc committee on oil and gas investigation did not contravene any rule of the house or any law, adding that the leadership of the house reserved the right to disband/dissolve an ad hoc committee whenever the need arose.

While dismissing the alleged rift in the house leadership, he said that there was no rift whatsoever between the speaker and the deputy speaker regarding the dissolution of the ad hoc committee or any other matter as the duo enjoyed a robust and cordial relationship.

He added, “The two presiding officers also have mutual respect for each other and will not allow anything to come between them. The public should therefore disregard the speculations making the rounds in some sections of the media.”

In a statement, the house observed, with consternation, the speculations in some sections of the media following the dissolution of the ad hoc committee by the leadership of the house.

The house said that it had its internal working mechanisms which were enabled by Section 60 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) which provided that: “Subject to the provisions of this constitution, the Senate or the House of Representatives shall have power to regulate its own procedure, including the procedure for summoning and recess of the house.”

The house further said, “It is necessary to clarify that the action by the leadership was to ensure efficacy, independence, and effectiveness of the investigation.

“Appallingly, some people went to town with speculations regarding the action of the leadership, with some making allegations of a rift between the speaker and the deputy speaker, while others alleged that there was an inducement for the appointment of a committee chairman.

“There is no rift whatsoever between the speaker and the deputy speaker regarding this or any matter. The duo enjoys a robust and cordial relationship.

While reacting, the Deputy Speaker, Kalu, who also dismissed the bribery allegation and the rift between him and the speaker, said he was in support of the dissolution of the joint ad hoc committee.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, on Wednesday, Kalu said he did not have any misunderstanding of any kind with the speaker and the house leadership on the issue.

He said, “This clarification becomes imperative following the reports of alleged bickering between the speaker and Kalu over the matter.

“We make bold to emphatically state that there is no conflict and has never been any between Speaker Abbas and the deputy speaker since their election as the presiding officers of the 10th House in June, 2023.

“The decision for the dissolution was a matter of necessity collectively taken by the house leadership, and Kalu is in total support of it for a better investigative structure soon to be announced on the same subject matter.

“For purposes of accentuation, the leadership of the two chambers of the national assembly is coming up with a new model on the probe which details will be communicated to the public soon.

“This has nothing to do with any allegation or offence on the part of the joint committee in question. Again, the minute of the meeting has no record of such a strange allegation.”

Kalu described the allegation of bribery as an elaborate hoax and a joke taken too far.

On his part, the Chairman of the dissolved ad hoc committee, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Rep Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, in a statement on Wednesday, signed by his Chief of Staff, Ernest Njesi, described the allegations as “false nonsensical belated attempts to provoke, divert attention from endemic corruption in the oil industry.”

The lawmaker, who represents Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo State, noted that the said attempt to drag the speaker and his name in the mud was dead on arrival.

He said that those who aided the stories in one way or the other would face the wrath of the law, including other smear campaigns.

He further said, “The allegation is a belated, nonsensical, childish and unprofessional fiction work aimed at creating division in the house to aide some criminal elements who are long overdue for prison to think they can escape justice, which is impossible, as the demand for transparency and reform is a task that will be pushed.

“Only a childish mind will believe the poorly scripted work that the speaker was given $1.7m for something that does not worth a penny. We will not dignify the cheap attempt to distract and divert attention from the house investigation on the corruption from our oil industry.”