Sunday Ani
The Adhoc Committee set up by the Lagos State House of Assembly to investigate several allegations of corruption against the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, was disappointed yesterday as none of the petitioners honoured its invitation.
The Adhoc Committee headed by Victor Akande had invited the petitioners – SaharaReporters, Mr. Babajide Otitoju of TVC, Mr. Bayo Oluwasanmi, BudgiT, Concerned Nigerians, Adeola Fayehun of Keeping It Real, The Independent Diaspora Nigerians Against Corruption, as well as Human and Environmental Development Agenda, to appear before it with evidence to prove their allegations of corruption against Obasa but none of the parties honoured the invitation.
Addressing journalists and other members of the Adhoc Committee, Akande said the petitioners were invited substantiate their allegations against Speaker Obasa, but lamented that they failed to attend the sitting.
He, however said the petitioners still have Friday and Saturday to appear before the committee and prove their allegations.
On whether House approach was the best in the circumstance, Akande said: “This is not the first time that we have this kind of committee. Even the National Assembly adopts this same procedure and at the end of the day when the committee had reported it’s findings, a decision is taken by the whole House.”
On why the House did not approach the court at once, he said: “It is still an allegation and we have not investigated it. We cannot go to court until when we have found out what the fact and figures are. The House once investigated an issue of certificate forgery against the former Governor of the state. All the petitioners appeared and at the end of the day, it was resolved. You cannot put something on anything and expect it to stand. We must put something on something to have a cause of action.
He added that most of the invitees did not have permanent addresses and that the House sent invitations to them through their email addresses, which was they same medium they used to make their allegations against the Speaker.
The Adhoc Committee set up by the Lagos State House of Assembly to investigate several allegations of corruption against the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, was disappointed yesterday as none of the petitioners honoured its invitation.
The Adhoc Committee headed by Victor Akande had invited the petitioners – SaharaReporters, Mr. Babajide Otitoju of TVC, Mr. Bayo Oluwasanmi, BudgiT, Concerned Nigerians, Adeola Fayehun of Keeping It Real, The Independent Diaspora Nigerians Against Corruption, as well as Human and Environmental Development Agenda, to appear before it with evidence to prove their allegations of corruption against Obasa but none of the parties honoured the invitation.
Addressing journalists and other members of the Adhoc Committee, Akande said the petitioners were invited substantiate their allegations against Speaker Obasa, but lamented that they failed to attend the sitting.
He, however said the petitioners still have Friday and Saturday to appear before the committee and prove their allegations.
On whether House approach was the best in the circumstance, Akande said: “This is not the first time that we have this kind of committee. Even the National Assembly adopts this same procedure and at the end of the day when the committee had reported it’s findings, a decision is taken by the whole House.”
On why the House did not approach the court at once, he said: “It is still an allegation and we have not investigated it. We cannot go to court until when we have found out what the fact and figures are. The House once investigated an issue of certificate forgery against the former Governor of the state. All the petitioners appeared and at the end of the day, it was resolved. You cannot put something on anything and expect it to stand. We must put something on something to have a cause of action.
He added that most of the invitees did not have permanent addresses and that the House sent invitations to them through their email addresses, which was they same medium they used to make their allegations against the Speaker.