Sufuyan Ojeifo
31 January 2008
Abuja — He shouted on rooftop that the National Assembly was riddled with fraudsters. On the floor of the Senate, he threatened to name the alleged '419' lawmakers but he was cut short.
But when he was given a field day and was expected to savour the moment, he chickened out.
It was an anti-climax of sort yesterday in the Senate.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Sec-urity and Intelligence, Senator Nuhu Aliyu, dramatically withdrew his statement that there were fraudsters in the National Assembly.
Aliyu had earlier said he investigated some of the lawmakers in connection with Advanced Fee Fraud (otherwise known as 419) while he was Deputy Inspector general (DIG) of Police in charge of Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
But yesterday, the Senator did not only withdraw his statement, he followed it with a public apology to his colleagues on the floor of the Senate during plenary that was broadcast live on the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).
Yesterday's volte-face by Aliyu came on a day he was billed to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to name the fraudulent lawmakers.
As the day's sitting began, Aliyu raised orders 14 and 53 of the Senate Standing Rules 2007 (as amended).
He said he wanted to place it on record that his statements in his contributions to the motion on "the Direction and Tempo of the Anti-Corruption war" had generated so much controversy and that he had decided to withdraw them.
He said the decision to withdraw the statements was consequent upon the advice of his lawyers that he risked being sued for defamation of character more so when the investigated lawmakers on his list had not been convicted by any court of law.
Aliyu then proceeded to read from a letter addressed to the Senate President, Senator David Mark.
He said in the two-page letter that the issue was already becoming a barrier in his relationship with his friends and colleagues in the National Assembly.
The letter reads: "Mr. President, Distinguished colleagues, last week Wednesday, there was a motion brought before the Senate for debate by the Committee Chairman, Drugs and Narcotics and Financial Crimes. I was a co-Sponsor of that motion.
"During the debate my contribution became controversial and angered many of my colleagues and members of the House of Representatives. The media had a field day. I have come to realise that I am losing my friends in the Senate because of that debate. I do not want to lose them.
"The controversy of that debate must end. We must be our brothers' keepers. We must remain absolute, strong and united as a single family. I know both members of the House and Senate have tremendous respect for me. I want to keep that respect.
"I have made contacts with my lawyers who have advised me strongly to withdraw that aspect of the statement I made that there are 419ners in the National Assembly.
"My lawyers know that I have spent 35 years in the Police Force and had served it meritoriously, they also know that I had headed the Force Criminal Investigation Department (CID) where I met all kinds of people.
"No matter how detailed a police investigation is of a crime, no matter how convinced a police office is about a case he investigated, a suspected criminal is innocent unless and until he is pronounced guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
"I want to agree with my lawyers and I hereby withdraw entirely that part of the statement. To err is human and to forgive is divine. I regret what took place that day and I apologise.
"I will appreciate it most kindly if the Senate President will convey this message to the Speaker and members of the House of Representatives. I rest my case."
His withdrawal and apology, however, did not save him from the anger of his colleagues many of whom insisted that the matter must be left with the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Pubic Petitions headed by Senator Omar Hambagda to handle.
The Senate had last week referred the matter to the committee to redress following the breach of privileges complained about by Senator Ayogu Eze.
Eze had said Aliyu's statement had impugned on his integrity as a member of the National Assembly.
Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu (Enugu West), called on Senators to be cautious about statements they make on the floor of the Senate, because, according to him, "Senators are part of the political leadership of the country and their statements carry much weight and influence."
Ekweremadu said since the matter had already been referred to the Ethics, Privileges and Pubic Petitions Committee, the letter should be sent to the committee to handle along with the main investigations.
The deputy Senate president pointed out that "Parliamentary immunity does not preclude parliamentary decency."
In his contribution, Senator Patrick Osakwe (Delta North) urged the Senate not to sweep the allegation under the carpet.
He shared the position of the deputy Senate president that "Parliamentary immunity does not amount to parliamentary impunity."
Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, said Aliyu's letter was "an attempt to procure abortion when the baby was already born."
The Senate President had ruled that the matter be referred to the Ethics Committee which held a public hearing on the issue yesterday.
The committee sat at 12 noon while the Senate plenary was still on. Aliyu appeared before the committee where he formally presented the letter to it as directed by the Senate.
Sitting quietly in front of the committee members in Committee Room 211, Aliyu told the committee after reading the letter that he would not mention anything outside the contents of the letter.
He, however, did not keep to this under cross examination as he alluded to the late member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Morris Ibekwe, who was arrested, detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with fraud and eventually died in detention, as a fraudster.
But tried as the committee did to bring him out of his shell to talk more specifically on the fraudsters and possibly mention them, Aliyu declared to the committee that "nothing will make me to mention names."
Senators Grace Bent, Andrew Babalola and Lee Maeba had in their interventions urged the committee to accept Aliyu's apology and stop further questions to him.
Bent said Aliyu had already apologised and withdrawn the statements and therefore it was unnecessary to continue to drill him on the issue.
Senator Babalola said Aliyu's courage should be commended, saying he (Aliyu) "has come and conquered a lot of questions", adding, "There is no doubt that this man was at a time sitting on a keg of gun powder investigating 419 activities.
Chairman of the committee told Aliyu to expect another invitation from the committee if it becomes necessary to call him back to fill some gaps in the process of writing their report. The committee is expected to submit its report to the Senate next Tuesday.
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