Kola Ologbondiyan
6 April 2006
Abuja — The Senate yesterday mandated its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to investigate Deputy Senate President Ibrahim Nasir Mantu for alleged sundry financial impropriety as well as impugning the character of the National Assembly and its members.
For the Senate to arrive at this decision, a division of votes was called and the votes of those who wanted Mantu suspended before investigation and those who wanted him investigated tallied, forcing the President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani, to cast a vote that saved his deputy from being suspended.
Even Mantu had to vote in favour of his own investigation.
The Ethics Committee, which has Senator Titus Olupitan (AD, Ondo State) as chairman, was, however, given two weeks to submit its findings to the Senate.
The decision to investigate Mantu arose from a motion brought by Senator Nuhu Aliyu (PDP, Niger) and seconded by Senator Saidu Dansadau (ANPP, Zamfara), urging the upper legislative house to direct its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to investigate the sundry allegations and report back to the floor.
Aliyu, who came via Order 14, after the President of the Senate had read his one year anniversary address, alleged that his privileges and that of other senators had been assailed by Mantu.
Consequently, he called for the investigation of the management of the funds of the Joint Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution (JCCR); the allegation that he received N400m from a business concern in pursuit of the mandate of the JCCR; and the allegation that he gave $37,000 bribe to members of the JCCR.
Other subjects of investigation are: the whereabouts of the N22m he allegedly received from the Presidency being left over of the National Political Reforms Conference (NPRC) funds for the prosecution of the mandate of the JCCR, and whether it was returned to the Presidency as directed by the committee (JCCR); the propriety of the N50m he allegedly paid himself as rent for his personal house in Asokoro, which serves as his official residence, and the N40m he allegedly received for furnishing the house.
Mantu will also have to provide answers to allegations bordering on his indictment by a Committee of the House of Representatives for mismanagement of funds as Amirul Hajj, 2006; and an alleged disparaging statement made on the Africa Independent Television (AIT) regarding the status of the National Assembly as the largest rumour industry in Nigeria.
Aliyu, in backing his allegations that Mantu impugned the character of his colleagues opened his motion with a quotation from the interview in which Mantu was quoted as saying: "My colleagues know that I am not here to do anybody's bidding, why are they now jumping the gun? So they are the ones who are saying 'oh, monies have been given.' We have asked them who gave money? For what purpose? Nobody has been able to identify the giver, they have not been able to identify the taker, they have not been able to identify the project for which the money is given.
"So rumours and rumours and rumours. The place has become a very very ahh, the largest perhaps rumours industry, you know. The National Assembly has become the largest rumour industry in Nigeria. But we don't work on rumours. For example, we have told our colleagues, I told them, 'I challenge anybody who has evidence that I was given something to give to him and I short-changed him or I did not give him, please, I will be happy if you do come out."
Aliyu argued that the office of the Deputy Senate President, whose occupant is the No. 5 citizen of the federation, is required to exercise leadership qualities, including but not limited to exercising a high sense of responsibility, humility, honesty, decorum, respect for other people's opinion and understanding of the feelings of his colleagues.
"By the above statement, Senator Mantu is no longer qualified to preside over this Senate as the deputy senate president because, either his reputation and credibility as a person are in serious jeopardy having to preside over the largest rumour industry in Nigeria or the Senate, and indeed, the National Assembly is not, as Senator Mantu believes, a rumour industry, but is in fact one of the three arms of government constitutionally charged with the responsibility of making laws for the peace, order and good governance of the Federation."
When Aliyu concluded the prayers of his motion, the Senate Leader, Senator Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, urged his colleagues "to in the name of Allah and in the name of this Distinguished Senate to allow the matter be taken in a closed session." The plea was rejected.
Senator Arthur Nzeribe (PDP, Imo) came under Order 46 to argue that Aliyu required notice before bringing his motion before the Senate. He said: "I am pointing out an irregularity in the motion. Notice shall be given of any motion."
Backing Nzeribe, Senator Victor Kashim Oyofo (PDP, Edo) appealed to his colleagues to be cautious. "This is the seventh year of democracy. We must all defend it (democracy). What is wrong is wrong regardless of who does it. If there are issues that need to be looked at, we must look at it, but not because somebody is coming out of emotion. I second Tafida's motion and support closed door discussion," he said.
Nnamani, however, counselled that "Aliyu came up with his motion under privilege. I rule Nzeribe out of Order. The issue agreed with Order 15, which allows him (Aliyu) to move his motion without notice.
But Senator Abubakar Sodangi (PDP, Nasarawa) argued that Aliyu ought to tender the paper or the AIT tape, adding that "we should go into executive session to discuss it (the motion)."
Senator Jubril Aminu in supporting the enquiry, said "it will be better to set up an adhoc committee. It is in Mantu's interest that we dispense with the matter quickly."
However, Senator Olatokunbo Ogunbanjo (PDP, Ogun) raised Order 70 to say that the matter of suspending a senator is not open to debate even as Aliyu presented the recorded tape of the AIT interview.
But Nnamani said "the Senate must comply with our rules. I will put the question."
But Ogunbanjo, who introduced Order 70 in error, withdrew his order while Senator David Mark (PDP, Benue South) said as occupants of the highest lawmaking body in the country, senators were "bound to have internal wrangling but we must be careful."
Mark urged his colleagues to allow the matter to be dispensed with by Mantu, adding that the matter be referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics "because once you suspend him, it means you are saying he (Mantu) is guilty. That is my submission."
He also backed the submission with Order 46, arguing that Aliyu needed not accept his proposed amendment to the motion. "I want the Ethics Committee to come back and request for suspension if they believe that Mantu's continued stay in office is disturbing the probe," Mark said,
But Senator Saleh Danboyi (PDP, Taraba) relying on Order 70 (1) (g) said Mantu should proceed on suspension immediately.
Senator Ebiowuowu James Manager (PDP, Delta), however, seconded Mark's motion while Senator Olorunimbe Mamora asked Nnamani to take all the orders raised and interpret them.
The President of the Senate, however, remarked that Mark had a point. "If you punish a man before investigating him, what happens if he is found guilty? The Ethics Committee can come up to complain if it feels the presence of Mantu is obstructing its works," he said.
He then put the question to the floor but the voice vote could not be decided for either ayes or nay. He did the second time and gave it to ayes.
But Dansadau, who expressed reservations, called for division and this was done with both sides tying 39/39 while 30 senators were absent and one, Senator John Azuta-Mbata(PDP, Rivers), abstained.
Those who voted that Mantu should be investigated and not suspended included Senators Chris Adighije; Emma Azu Agboti; Simeon Ajibola; Eze Ajoku; Zik-Sunday Ambuno; Iyabode Anisulowo; Jubril Aminu; Ifeanyi Araraume; Clement Awoyelu; Isaiah Balat; Henry Ehinlanwo; Bassey Ewa-Henshaw; Felix Ibru; K. Koleosho; James Manager; Ibrahim Mantu; David Mark; Arthur Nazeribe; Musiliu Obanikoro; Tunde Ogbeha; Olatokunbo Ogunbanjo; Kola Ogunwale; Fidelis Okoro; Emmanuel Okpede; Iyiola Omisore; Joseph Orti; Patrick Osakwe; Victor Oyofo: Abubakar Sodangi: Dalhatu Tafida; Ugochukwu Uba; Julius Ucha: Udoma Udo Udoma: Nicholas Yahaya Ugbane: and Zarami Jalo.
The senators, who canvassed the suspension and investigation of Mantu also include: Bello Adamu; Tokunbo Afikuyomi; Abiola Ajumobi; Usman Albishir; Mamman Ali; Nuhu Aliyu; Mohammed Anka: Muktar Aruwa; John Brambaifa: Bunza-Bello Farouk: Uche Chukwumerije; Sanusi Daggash; Saleh Danboyi; Saidu Dansadau; Dan Zomo: Haruna Garba; A. Hanga: A. Ibrahim; Sani Kamba; Idris Kuta; Badamaci Maccido; Abubakar Maikafi; Isa Maina; Olorunnimbe Mamora; Ben Obi; Mohammed Ohiare; Bode Olowoporoku; James Olupitan; Sani Sami; Gbemi Saraki-Fowora; Daniel Saror; Lawali Shuaibu; Baba Tella; U.k. Umar; Yari Gandi and one other senator.
Efforts by Mark to raise the question of fairness on the side of Mantu that the Ethics Committee chairman and his deputy voted for the suspension and investigation of Mantu was however turned down.
The members of the Committee are Olupitan (chairman); Brambaifa (vice chairman); Maikafi; Manager; Ehinlanwo; Anisulowo; Dansadau; Azuta-Mbata; and, Chukwumerije.
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