The House of Representatives yesterday said that it had no issues with Mr Femi Otedola who on Tuesday appeared before its Ethics and Privileges Committee but refused to testify on bribery allegations he levelled against the former chairman of the Adhoc Committee on Management of Fuel Subsidy, Hon. Farouk Lawan, stressing that at no time was he put on trial by the House.
Speaking to journalists yesterday, the spokesman of the House, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, described as misleading reports that the committee on Ethics and Privileges was trying him, pointing out that he (Otedola) was only invited as a witness in a case concerning one of their members, and as the person making the allegations.
“At no point has Otedola been put on trial by us. He is not on trial and we re not a court of law”, he said. “People are trying to make it seem like we have turned ourselves to a court of law. Our business is lawmaking.
“He is not a member of this House and was meant to come as a witness. The House of Representatives has no issues with Otedola as an institution. We only asked him to come as a witness on questions of professional conduct of one of our members, Farouk Lawan.”
Zakari also defended the committee’s decision to hold the hearing in-camera, basing his argument on their Standing Rules which allow only the Ethics and Privileges committee the right to hold sessions behind closed doors.
Speaking on the audio? recordings which have been aired on television stations and reported in national dailies, the chairman of Media and Public Affairs expressed worry but quickly added that it was a calculated attempt to take attention away from the substance of the report of the committee that investigated the rot in the management of subsidy.
He stated, “When films are played in parts 1, 2 and 3, it is to take attention from the main issue. It is a calculated, deliberate effort take a way attention from the rot in the sector.
The lawmaker said that the issue at hand was a case of “corruption fighting back”, pointing out that the House was paying a price for taking a decision and standing firm on that path.
Meanwhile, Otedola has reacted to the statement of the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Hon Gambo Dan-Musa over his conduct at the House on Tuesday.
Otedola, who spoke through his lawyer Mr. Babajide Koku (SAN), said that? at the meeting, he conducted himself with decorum, was not abusive and at no time in the course of the hearing did he make any disparaging remarks against any member of the committee.
He said: “The statement of the Hon. Gambo Dan-Musa is to say the least unbecoming and underscores manifest bias.