Photo: Vanguard

Rep. Farouk Lawan stands accused of receiving bribe from oil marketers.

Abuja — The House of Representatives Committee on Ethics came under further scrutiny, yesterday, after oil magnate, Mr Femi Otedola, accused one of its members of lying in his account of Otedola's controversial appearance before the committee last Tuesday.

Responding to published comments where Rep. Ibrahim Bello, a member of the committee was quoted as saying that Otedola told the committee that he did not have the video recording of his transaction with Rep. Farouk Lawan, Otedola affirmed that he never told the committee anything as such.

Otedola had in the past insisted that he is in possession of audio and video recording of Lawan negotiating and collecting the bribe money.

The misrepresentation, he said, was another reason why the Ethics Committee must be prevailed upon to hold its investigations into the scam in public.

Responding to the comments by Bello, Otedola speaking through his lawyer, Babajide Koku, SAN said: "For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state categorically that the statement credited to Hon. Ibrahim Bello is entirely false and calculated to misrepresent and misinform the public as to what transpired during the closed door hearing held by the House Committee on July 3, 2012."

"We wish to state further, that there are video and audio recordings corroborating our client's account of what transpired between him and Hon. Farouk Lawan.

"It is pertinent to emphasise that our client at no time during the proceedings of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges denied the authenticity of the audio recordings broadcast by the media but only stated that he was not the one that gave the audio recordings to the media houses."

"This further gives credence to our clients believe that it is in the interest of truth and justice that any hearing into the allegation of bribery against Hon. Farouk Lawan must be held in public and in an unbiased and transparent manner."