Etteh Moves to Douse Impeachment Plot

[Vade Mecum]

Etteh Moves to Douse Impeachment Plot
http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=87467

• Mark: I didn’t participate in renovation contract
From Stanley Nkwazema and Sufuyan Ojeifo in Abuja, 08.27.2007

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The embattled Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, who returned to the country from the United States of America on Saturday, has begun spirited moves to forestall her possible impeachment over the N628 million contract scandal rocking the House.
Opposition however continues to mount on Etteh’s leadership of the House as some lawmakers under the aegis of “New Agenda Forum” are set to meet on Thursday in Abuja over the controversial contract.
THISDAY gathered that Etteh spent the weekend consulting with some members and top ranking Senators on how to wriggle out of the situation.
But the architects of the move to oust Etteh from office are said to be insisting that the case is now in the public domain and cannot be swept under the carpet.
Some House of Representatives members who spoke with THISDAY last night confirmed the moves by the Speaker and some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) top shots to stave off her impeachment.
But they said the Speaker had refused to come out openly to address the issues involved in the renovation contract.
Hon. Halims Agoda, who blew the lid on the alleged contract scam, said yesterday that the matter was not a personal fight but a fight to protect the integrity of the House.
“I must tell you that this is beyond me or a single fight. I am not alone in this fight, many of my colleagues from all the geo political zones of the country are with me. I have been approached by so many people from within the National Assembly and the party. But it is beyond that. People elected us and we must account for our actions,” he said.
According to Agoda, “the House of Representatives should not be reduced to a primary school. It is a serious affair. This is a business of lawmaking and a chamber of 358 lawmakers for now. If we fail, we have failed Nigerians.
“There are so many things we can’t reconcile. How can we explain that there was a Presidential retreat and the Senate was fully represented while the leadership of the House was not involved. We should be seen to be serious and serious we must be.”
The Chairman House Committee on Media and Publicity, Hon. Ezuiche Ubani, who also spoke with THISDAY refused to be drawn into comments on the authenticity or otherwise of the documents being bandied about in respect of the House contract.
He, however, said those calling for the Speaker’s head, should wait till the House reconvenes on September 4.
“I don't want to be drawn into the issue of documents or contract awards, there is a mechanism for resolving such issues. When we resume, we will then meet and take a stand, and conduct a thorough investigation. From the National Assembly management to the House, in fact, everybody involved will be invited to answer questions," Eziuche said.
Meanwhile, in a riposte to the call by the opposition Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) urging the National Assembly to probe him over a N450 million contract for the renovation of his official residence, the Senate President, Senator David Mark, declared yesterday that he has not participated in any renovation or building contract since June 5, this year, when he was elected into office.
Mark’s response, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Paul Mumeh, coincided with a formal defence by the Senate as contained in a statement signed by the Chairman of the Committee on Information and Media, Senator Ayogu Eze.
Mumeh said, “The attention of the office of the President of the Senate has been drawn to some newspapers reports, of Saturday August 25, 2007, to wit: ‘DPP urges NASS to PROBE Mark.’
“The reports insinuated that the official quarters of the President of the Senate was renovated with the sum of N450million.
“The reporters were quoting an unsigned official statement purportedly issued by a little known political grouping, identified as Democratic Peoples Party (DPP).
“We feel embarrassed and utterly disgusted that some respected newspapers could publish such a sensitive story without any attempt to verify from relevant authorities.
“For inexplicable reasons, many people are anxious to seek for any avenue and opportunity to blackmail and crucify the President of the Senate for no just cause.
“That is why they could rush to the press with this falsehood without verification. But the Senate President would not be deterred because the truth would always defeat the forces of evil.
“However, to put record straight, the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Senator David Mark, is neither aware nor participated in any renovation or building project since he assumed office on June 5, 2007.
“We challenge anyone who has records that the Senate President has awarded any contract for the renovation of Apo Mansion to produce such records or keep quiet forever.”
In its own defence of the Senate President, the Senate in the statement by Senator Eze said, “The attention of the Senate has been drawn to calls by the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and published in some national dailies urging the National Assembly to institute a probe into the alleged renovation of the residence of the Senate President, the Apo Mansion, to the tune of about N450 million.
“Ordinarily, the Senate would not have been dragged to join issues with a political party that has displayed such gross ignorance on current national issues as the DPP is doing.
“We are however compelled to put the records straight and place the correct perspective in the public domain. This will not only help to expose the paucity of leadership in the DPP, but also reassure Nigerians that the National Assembly is not the cesspool of corruption that the wobbly opposition parties are fruitlessly labouring to paint it to be.”
The Senate continued: “To be sure, we make bold to state that there has been no award of contract of any kind for the renovation of the residence of the President of the Senate since the assumption of office of the present Senate leadership.
“It is therefore mischievous and malicious on the part of the DPP or any person(s), groups or organizations to insinuate under-hand deals in non-existent contract award.
Meanwhile, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has called for a thorough investigation of the renovation contract that is rocking the leadership of the House of Representatives.
A statement weekend by the Executive Director of CISLAC, Awwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani) said, “CISLAC views with concern the looming crisis in the House of Representatives over the contracts awarded for the renovation of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker’s residences.
“We are worried that the House of Representatives appears to be already swimming in the murky waters of controversy, this early in its tenure. This situation is counterproductive in view of the high expectations of Nigerians from the House.
“CISLAC appeals to all parties involved in the current impasse to exercise caution and follow due process in ascertaining the level of transparency and compliance to laid-down procedure around the controversial contracts, when the House resumes.”

[Vade Mecum]

Presidency probes Etteh: Reps decide her fate Thursday - Etteh fights back

http://www.tribune.com.ng/27082007/news/news1.html
From Bola Badmus, Lanre Adewole, Niyi Adebimpe and Idowu Samuel - 27.08.2007

AS controversy rages over the allegation concerning the renovation of the official residences of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Honourable Olubunmi Etteh, and her deputy, Honourable Babangida Ngoroge, at exorbitant cost without authorisation, the presidency and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are said to have directed the National Security Adviser (NSA) to investigate the contracts put at N628 million.


Sources disclosed that the Director of State Security Services had been mandated to assemble relevant documents pertaining to the award of contracts to renovate the Speaker’s residence and that of her deputy.


It was gathered that the office of the SSS director had already called those involved in the said controversial contracts which has since split the Lower Chamber into different camps, particularly the National Assembly management which was cited in the alleged deal, to forward all the relevant documents.


Mrs. Etteh and the National Assembly management had awarded contracts totalling N628 million for the renovation of the official residences of the speaker and deputy speakers’ houses at the Apo quarters and for the purchase 10 jeeps as official cars.


According to presidency sources, the directive was said to have been sequel to the mentioning of the president’s name in the contract saga.


The president is said to have denied knowledge of the contract, but expected that the Speaker would say whether the president was aware or not.


Presidential spokesman, Olusegun Adeniyi, also communicated the position of President Umar Yar’Adua on the raging controversy that the speaker’s presence was needed to enable the presidency to know the next line of action to take.


The NSA is said to have directed the DG SSS to furnish his office details of the contract to enable a full investigation into the alleged deal before the House resumes on September 4, 2007.


When contacted, a top source in the SSS neither confirmed nor denied the order, but said that he would confirm the development today.


There are strong indications of a possible commencement of impeachment process against Honourable Etteh by some of her colleagues in the lower House when the house resumes from its two-week recess on Tuesday.


It was gathered that those who are opposed to the issue met at Abuja over the weekend where they vowed to see to a logical conclusion their decision to influence other members of the House to set up a panel to investigate Etteh on what they described as “extravagant and unnecessary expenses” on her official quarters.


The anti-Etteh forces, which sources disclosed formed the bulk of the members in the 360-member Lower House, had already received invitation from those who attended the weekend meeting for an enlarged meeting on Thursday where plans will be fine-tuned on how to ensure that the Speaker was not spared from investigation when the House resumes on September 4.


Tagged “The New Agenda”, the group of legislators in the Lower House, sources further disclosed, would ensure the investigation of contract award for the renovation of official quarters with utmost dispatch and should any irregularities be established, it would waste no time in instituting a motion of impeachment against her.


In a swift move to defuse the tension which appears to be mounting everyday, the leadership of the house was said to have been engaged in aggressive public enlightenment, saying that the controversial renovation contract was not as high as was alleged.


Meanwhile, Honourable Etteh, at the weekend, launched a counter offensive against the plan to remove her as she embarked on a house to House visit to the lawmakers at their Apo quarters mobilising support in her favour.


Etteh returned to Nigeria in the early hours of Saturday on board a British Airways plane and on reaching Abuja, swung into action by contacting influential members of the House who could assist in warding off the threat of impeachment.


However, some members who got wind of Etteh’s planned visit to them deliberately left their residences as a proof of their hostility and to avoid being prevailed upon to change camp.


And on Sunday, legislators who were the prime movers of the plan to remove the speaker were busy making telephone contacts with their colleagues who were outside Abuja.


It became apparent that legislators who were opposed to Etteh were determined to mobilise for the required number to move for her probe when the House resumes on Tuesday.


Nigerian Tribune learnt that a motion would be moved by the aggrieved legislators on Tuesday for the speaker to step aside for the probe.


Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, the arrowhead of the opposition, Honourable Halims Agoda, said he was in possession of sufficient facts and figures indicating that the leadership of the House was culpable of the allegations levelled against it.


Agoda said he and his colleagues had gone far in their plan to probe the speaker, vowing never to relent until the idea of the probe reached a logical conclusion.


Some members of the House had alleged that the speaker had wrongly authorised the renovation of her quarters and that of her deputy.


Honourable Farouk Lawan, who nominated Etteh as the House Speaker, is also one of the members pushing for her removal.

[katampe]

I hope someday we have a public works department that is vested solely with the authority to award contracts. And it should have staff vested with levels of authority for the different contract sum to be awarded. Equally important is public advertisemnet of the awards through several channels like internet bulletin board and newspaper.

[Abraxas]

Hi, folks!

It will be very much to the over all benefit of 140 million Nigerians, at least, in the national security interest, that Mrs. Patricia Etteh is impeached without any further delay, and with maximum dispatch.

The reason is simple: She was imposed on Nigerians by the expired Butcher of Aso Rock (BoAR), His Excellency, General Segun (OBJ De Big Diqck) Okikiolakan Aremu Obasanjo (Congolizer-in-Chief), for obvious reasons, too undemocratic to mention here.

Muchas gracias, mis amigos.

Don Juan-Carlos ABRAXAS (III)

[DoubleWahala]

Nice move, but wrong mode.

The EFCC or ICPC should be the proper body to investigate this allegation, especially as the president was allegedly mentioned by Etteh's camp to have 'approved/sanctioned' the expenditure (whatever that means).

I dont know what the heck is wrong with this government. First of all, you're purporting to investigate a matter where you are directly mentioned or insinuated to have sanctioned. Then secondly, you're trying to side-line the EFCC or ICPC.

Why??????

These guys, in their bid to side-line OBJ are just making silly, laughable mistakes.

A job worth doing is worth doing well!!

DW

[omaks]

The problem we have in Nigeria is largely DISTRUST side by side with CORRUPTION, ABUSE OF POWER, INEPTITUDE and INCOMPETENCE. There are too many bodies performing the same role, and even those bodies/organisations not vested with such powers ARROGATE it to themselves anyway. It's all a SHAM. If members of the House of Representatives were doubly sure of their facts, why have they not furnished the EFCC with their evidence? Why in fact has the ICPC not intervened in this matter. The presidency has now instructed the National Security Advisers to investegate the matter. RIDICULOUS Isn't it? What then do we have the EFCC, ICPC, SSS, CID e.t.c for? Now the NSA has intructed the DG of SSS to investicate the matter further. What a LAUGH!!

@ABRAXAS: Maybe the real crux of the matter is not the 628 Million Naira refurbishment project. Maybe the real matter is to ELIMINATE what you refer to as 'IMPOSITION OF ETTEH BY THE BUTCHER OF ASO ROCK'. So it's really a case of VICTIMISATION!!. PERSONAL VENDATTA at the expence of NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. I see the a SEMBLANCE of the last LOWER HOUSE in these lot still.