Daily Independent (Lagos)
Maxwell Oditta
19 June 2009
Trouble builds up rapidly for culture administrator-turned-lawmaker, Tunde Akogun.
He may soon be kicked out not only from his principal office in the lower legislative chamber but from the House of Representatives itself, if feelers from the National Assembly during the week are anything to go by.
Akogun, who is Majority Leader of the House, is on edge. He is currently defending how he spent the money budgeted for the recent House retreat, which took place simultaneously in Kano and Uyo. His colleagues are faulting his claim of transparency over disbursement of funds.
Akogun in the last couple of months faced the ordeal of making Court of Appeal affirmed his electoral victory, when his status as a lawmaker was called to question by the Edo State Election Petitions Tribunal, which nullified his election to represent Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency.
The House Information Committee Chairman, Dino Melaye, stated that there is no going back on the move to remove him and Chief Whip of the House, Emeka Ihedioha. Ihedioha's case is not novel. He has been accused before now of allegedly misappropriating part of the N150 million meant for the celebration of 10 years of democracy.
Melaye added that Akogun, who was the chairman and coordinator of the retreat planning committee did not say the truth when he claimed that his "hands are clean." He insisted that 300 members attended the retreat at both centres, and the events were sponsored by the Kano and Akwa Ibom State Governments. He said members were already compiling names of those absent at the retreat to prove that something went wrong.
"We demand to know what happened to the balance of the money budgeted for the retreat. For argument sake, let's assume 328 members attended the retreat as claimed by Akogun and each member was given N200, 000 as honorarium. That means less than N66 million was spent. Where is the balance?"
Akogun had rallied to his own defence. In a statement entitled, "House Retreat: My Hands Are Clean," the retired Army Colonel absolved himself of any complicity in the alleged misappropriation of N200 million said to have been released to organise the retreat. He said 328 members, who included 193 in Kano and 135 in Uyo, attended the retreat.
While some members merely demand explanation from Akogun on how the money was spent, a radical section of the House are calling for his outright impeachment. They said that the host governors Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano and Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom underwrote the bills incurred by members during the retreat.
Akogun has acknowledged that the hosts complimented the House's effort, with Melaye insisting that less than 300 members attended the retreat at both centres.
It's a whole House of scandal as Akogun's deputy, Baba Shehu Agaie, has also been asked to explain his role in the Afro-Arab Parliamentary Summit recently hosted by Nigeria in April. Agaie chaired the Summit Organising Committee, as a group of lawmakers want the House leadership to account for N130 million spent on the Afro-Arab Parliaments Summit, which they alleged had been misappropriated.
On the floor of the House, the argument last Monday was heated. Members got into counter-allegations of financial misconduct over their retreat in Kano and Uyo, and the celebration of 10 years anniversary of democracy. Allegations of misappropriation of funds against Akogun who was chairman of the retreat planning committee emerged as he was asked to account for N270 million allegedly earmarked for the event.
It all began with some representatives imploring the House leadership to account for N130 million spent on the summit as well as the N270 million spent on the retreat. They alleged that the N130 million was misappropriated, adding that the Federal Capital Territory Ministry had paid for the accommodation and feeding of delegates.
"We want to cleanse ourselves from all these things so that we can focus our attention on the executive arm. It is always embarrassing to hear about these sleaze and corruption now synonymous with the House of Representatives," one legislator lamented.
Saturday Independent gathered that N160 million, and not N270 million, may have been budgeted for the retreat, which might have been attended by 328 members, contrary to the allegation. The issues involved stand to be painstakingly investigated by the House to avoid rash judgment against any official.
The allegation against Akogun was also fueled by reports that Shekarau and Akpabio bankrolled the retreat, making some members to demand what happened to the money the House appropriated for it?
Naturally, Akogun absolved himself of complicity in the misappropriation of funds in the organisation of the just-concluded retreat, saying the transaction was done transparently without shady deals, as schedules were delegated among committee members and carried out appropriately at the two centres. He said the money was judiciously applied. He countered that the planning and execution of the retreat tallied with due process, transparency and accountability. He insisted that the allegations being bandied were "mere figment of the imaginations of a few uninformed persons."
He attributed his late response to the allegations to the fact that "legislative businesses are not conducted on the pages of newspapers as the House has enough mechanism to investigate any allegation."
He also explained that he was away to London to attend a programme on strategic leadership at the Oxford Busniess School. He urged members to disregard the rumour because he was prepared to render an account of the activities of the committee. He called for a more collaborative effort on the part of the members in order to move the House forward.
"Based on the attendance record available to me, no member boycotted the retreat as alleged in certain quarters," he recounted.
Akogun said the host governors complimented the efforts of the House in making lawmakers comfortable, in ensuring the success of the event, which is in line with typical African hospitality.
He urged his colleagues to avoid anything capable of bringing disunity into the House and he pledged to render a comprehensive account of the retreat. He sought cooperation to move the House forward.
The House leader is fast becoming a controversial figure among the representatives. Late last year, he was investigated by the Ethics and Privileges Committee sequel to his being named in N2.359 billion car scandal alongside the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole and his deputy, Usman Nafada. It was alleged at the time that Bankole spent another N335.5 million on exotic cars for himself, Nafada and Akogun. And that the cost of the vehicles procured by Bankole was over-inflated and did not pass through due process.
Shady deals were reported in the purchase of 380 Peugeot 407 cars. While the House had paid N2.359 billion for the brand known as 407 ST Sports (Auto) because of its special features, Peugeot Automobile Nigeria, the supplier, gave the legislators the Comfort version which cost N1.938 billion. It did not refund the excess payment or give discount for such a huge number of vehicles bought. Also, there was a curious double payment of VAT. The House lost more than N600 million in the deal.
It was alleged that Bankole presided over a meeting of the body of principal officers of the House and decided to buy three Mercedes Benz (Treated) S-600 cars at N52.8 million each for himself and Nafada.
"This totalled N158.4 million. He got the group to approve purchase of two Range Rover (Treated) cars at N57.2 million each, that is, N114.4 million for himself and his deputy. Two other Range Rover cars, one (Special) and the other V8 were ordered for himself and Akogun, at N30 million and N27 million, respectively," reported a national newsmagazine at the time of controversy.
Amidst that controversy, Akogun's election was nullified by the Edo State Elections Petition Tribunal headed by Justice Elizabeth Iliya, which also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh elections in the constituency within the next 90 days. The tribunal said it nullified the election because of irregularities and absence of voting in several points in the Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency. Akogun appealed against the decision of the Iliya-led panel and the Court of Appeal set aside the verdict.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
