Apparently frustrated by incessant probes by different committees of the Federal House of Representatives since 2011, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Deziani Alison-Madueke has gone to court to stop the planned probe of alleged N10 billion used by the minister to charter private jets in two years.
“Though this is the first of its kind in the annals of Nigerian’s democracy where a public office holder is using court to stop the National Assembly from performing its constitutional functions”, a Rep member told THE CITIZEN, nevertheless, the development forced the Chamber to suspend yesterday the planned probe based on a High Court order restraining it from conducting the public investigation of the minister.
However, the House of Representatives vowed to resume the probe as soon it is able to vacate the order.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) headed by Hon Solomon Adeola Olamilekan, was billed to commence a public hearing on the matter yesterday.
Hon. Olamilekan in company of the House spokesman, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, around 2.pm yesterday summoned a press conference where they revealed the court order restraining the Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and the chamber from going ahead with the public hearing.
“Gentlemen, I want to inform you that we are suspending the public hearing for now, we have received a court order restraining us from going ahead with the probe. This is the type of frustration that we sometime go through in our bid to ensure that our leaders are accountable and transparent. We are a creation of the law, we must obey the court order,” he said.
Olamilekan confirmed that his committee had been briefed about the court ruling, but assured that the committee will begin the probe as soon as the order is vacated. “We are temporarily suspending the hearing, the order will be vacated and we will begin the probe”, he explained.
The PAC chairman said that his committee has received written responses from the two aviation companies involved in the charter.
“I want to tell you that we are ready for this probe. We have received written responses. Other people and bodies involved in the hearing are also responding very well. The court order is a temporary setback, we will still get to the root of the matter,” he said.
The jets were allegedly chartered for the minister by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the serving minister.
Recall that before the House went on a two-week Easter break , the committee had written the minister, NNPC,the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other federal agencies demanding explanation on the allegation. Mrs. Alison-Madueke, the NNPC and other agencies are allegedly yet to respond to the query.
