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Nigeria: Reps' Division Over Obasanjo Deepens
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Vanguard (Lagos)
11 May 2008
Posted to the web 12 May 2008
Leon Usigbe Abuja
THE South West Caucus in the House of Representatives has dissociated itself from the decision of the House Committee on Power probing the power sector to invite former President Olusegun Obasanjo accusing it of pre-determining the outcome of the probe. The caucus is of the opinion that the committee has no right to summon the former president as they considered such action as disrespectful to the institution of the Presidency.
The position of the caucus is coming on the heels of the opposition of the House leadership on the decision of the committee to summon Obasanjo.
Members of the caucus who met weekend and were due to issue a formal statement declaring their stand on the summoning, which was issued by the committee, last week, alongside that of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The committee had said that in pursuit of its mandate it carried out a public hearing in which several allegations were made against the former president which necessitated his invitation to clear the issues. According to the letter written to the former president, "a lot of allegations and counter allegations were made.
References were also made to approvals and directives alleged to have been given by Your Excellency as the then president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as in your capacity as chairman of the Federal Executive Council.
"In view of the foregoing, the committee at its meeting on Tuesday 22nd April, 2008, unanimously resolved that before submitting its report, it is appropriate to give you a fair hearing by inviting you to come and give an insight and perspective into what you know or your role in the execution of projects in the power sector from 1999 to 2007,".
However, the South West Caucus said that the committee did not carry along the leadership of the House in summoning Obasanjo as it believed that the decision was taken unilaterally. According to a member of the caucus who did not want to be named, "we are convinced to a very large extent that the committee is playing to the gallery and bowing to external pressure in their effort to destroy a man who has given his best to this country."
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The chairman of the caucus, Hon. Ayo Adeseun, who confirmed the position, emphasized that the South West Caucus was not defending Obasanjo because "he is not a man to be defended" but added that if the former president must appear, the House must consider setting up a fresh probe panel to investigate the activities of other past leaders. Sunday Vanguard was unable to obtain the comments of the chairman of the committee, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, as he did not respond to his call.
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