Skip to main content

Obasanjo’s letter misdirected — REPS

ABUJA — THE House of Representatives, yesterday, described former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s letters to the leadership of the National Assembly, accusing the lawmakers of greed, graft and insensitivity to the declining state of the country’s economy, as misdirected, saying they would not be distracted from performing their constitutional duties.
Speaking at the National Assembly weekly briefing, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazak Namdas, said the National Assembly will not be distracted by Obasanjo’s letters, which also accused the legislature of insincerity over its planned purchase of 469 cars worth N4.7 billion.
Namdas stated that the lawmakers have tremendous respect for Obasanjo, adding, however, that the former president’s letters might not have been meant for the 8th Assembly but rather the 4th or 5th Assemblies.
“We have tremendous respect for the former President. We don’t want to be distracted by letters. Probably the letter is not meant for the 8th Assembly because we have cued in with President Muhammadu Buhari. I think the letter is meant for the 4th or 5th Assemblies. It was misdirected, “he said.
Commenting on the alleged sharing of N50m and 150 motorcycles to all members by the House Leadership, Namdas said the matter would be investigated and appropriate actions taken.
Obasanjo introduced bribery to NASS—Melaye
Speaking on the issue in an interview with The Cable, Senator Dino Melaye, APC, Kogi West, described Obasanjo’s letters as misplaced anger and accused him of introducing corruption into the National Assembly while pursuing a third term ambition.
His words: “I have tremendous respect for President Olusegun Aremu Okikiola Obasanjo. Elder statesman, respected pan-Africanist and committed patriot. The letter I can see is a misplacement of anger. Our leader is mistaking the Eighth National Assembly as the same Senate assembly that defrauded him in 2007.
“Those who collected his money and refused to implement the third term agenda. I appeal to Baba that we are not the ones please. After nine years of that bribery saga, the first of its kind, I expect forgiveness to have taken place.
“There was the case of bribery introduced by the Obasanjo regime in the desperate attempt to remove Speaker Ghali Umar Na’Abba from office then. In fact, there was open display of that bribery money on the floor of the House. That government exposed the National Assembly to corruption and easy money. I hope this is not an attempt to cover up and distract attention from the Halliburton and Siemens corruption allegations.
“While I am against corruption anywhere in Nigeria, I will not support accusations based on anger and vindictiveness. The Eighth Senate should also look inwardly and purge herself of all the deliberate misgivings of the past. Nigeria must work and we must support the anti- corruption stance of the Buhari administration.”
Asked to speak on the allegation, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Leo Ogor, yesterday said:  “First, I will not want to join issues with former President Olusegun Obasanjo. I believe that he has his freedom of opinion which clearly is enshrined in the constitution. I am not going to go into any level of altercation with him, but he should realise that these vehicles are meant purely for oversight functions.
“If he believes we should not carry out oversight functions or probably we should rely on ministries and agencies of government even when travelling outside the states to carry out these responsibilities, he is at will to say whatever he wants to say.”
“But I am convinced beyond reasonable doubt that these vehicles are not luxury vehicles, they are utility vehicles at the National Assembly, we use in carrying out our responsibilities. Like I said, I am not going to join issues with him, we are here as lawmakers in this country to carry out our responsibilities.”


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sen. Magnus Abe's Courageous Fight For Rivers Brick House

Ab e' Today Rivers people especially majority of faithful of the All Progressives Congress APC defied the heavy down pour in Port Harcourt to show solidarity for Sen. Magnus Abe and the direct primaries in the state which has been kicked against by the Rotimi Amaechi faction of the party in the state. This support which was massive and highly successful  buttressed the position of the over 148,000 people that caste  their votes on the direct primaries which held in the state on the 30th of September 2018. Rivers people on that   fateful day showed that they wanted the right man for the job in defiance of the foisting of an unknown candidate chosen from the blues to fly the flag of the party. The solidarity which the people of the state and APC members showed for the Ogoni born Senator has to be respected by the party unlike what is happening today where the party seems to be favouring the emergence of Tonye Cole all in the bid to please the former governor of t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Support For GEJ: C C Okirie Commends PDP In Rivers State

A frontline politician in Rivers State Chief Chukwuma Chinwa Oikrie has commended the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers state under the leadership of Bro. Felix Obuah (Go Round) for the support the party has given to President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term bid. Chief Okirie made this known at Omoku Town the headquarters of Ogba/ Egbema / Ndoni local government area over the weekend when the Party opened the Campaign Office of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the LGA. While thanking the state Chairman for his support, Chief Okirie stated that with the support the President has received from the party in the state, there was even no need for him to come and campaign personally.   “With the tremendous support the people of the state have accorded the President, I think he should go and rest. It is even immaterial if he comes to campaign personally because the people of the state are behind him. We will give him the traditional 100% votes we have alway...
Post a Comment
Read more

“Stop Harassing Atiku’s Business Interests”- CC Okirie

A Port Harcourt based businessman and politician Chief Chukwuma C. Okirie has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria not to use or allow any of its agencies, parastatals or departments to be used in intimidating or harassing any business interest (s) of former vice President Alhaji Abubakar Atiku. Chief CC Okirie who is also the National Coordinator of  Project AA a socio political group with wide follower-ship across the country said the former vice president of the country has sacrificed so much for democracy in the country and should not be subjected to any form of harassment due to his political ideology or aspiration. Chief Okirie who briefed newsmen during the meet the media chat with newsmen on the activities of his group PROJECT AA said it was high time Nigerians are allowed to speak their minds or aspire for any position of their choice without being witch hunted by authourities.  He lamented that some people who believe they have some people in particular...
Post a Comment
Read more