The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Patricia Olubunmi Etteh yesterday told the nine-man panel set up to probe the renovation of her official residence and that of her deputy, Hon. Babangida Nguroje, that she was misled by the management of the National Assembly.
Her testimony is coming just as the Secretary to the Tenders Board and Deputy Director of Planning and Legislative Budgeting Alhaji Mansur Sadauki Jarkasa contradicted the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Nasiru Arab that the tenders for the contracts were never advertised on the notice boards of the National Assembly Complex.
Etteh who arrived at the Hearing Room, venue of the probe panel at exactly 4.45pm with the Deputy Speaker, Chief Whip And Deputy Whip swore to an oath with the Holy Bible at exactly 4.55pm read from a prepared speech.
The Speaker who began her testimony at exactly 5 o’clock said: “The issue of renovation was brought up by the management and during the meeting, I asked them individually and they all answered one by one ‘yes ma.’
“I challenge them on that. They awarded the contract and at a stage during that meeting, I asked all of them and they said they followed due process.”
The Speaker who confirmed visiting the house before the renovation said “with due respect to my predecessor, the house was in deplorable condition and needed renovation.” She expressed surprise that her accusers have chosen to vilify her rather than applaud her for saving the country N244millon which would have been spent on hotel bills for 107 days for her and her aides if she had chosen that option.
Etteh who looked composed while answering questions from the panel said the issue of renovation was discussed before her office began to receive letters. “Like I said, the issue of renovation was discussed. I don’t need to tell management what to do. They have to do their jobs. I challenge them that they did not discuss it before bringing up the issue. Major letters come to my office and I forward it to the appropriate offices. The management awarded the contract, I am sure that you have gone to the structures and you have seen it.” I am the Speaker, I don’t know how they came about the figure. They said they vetted it and I have no doubt that they are professionals in their own rights, and did their job.”
Etteh who spoke on behalf of the principal officers present at the hearing insisted the management awarded the contract. “I was not properly briefed by the Clerk of the National Assembly. I asked about the modality and they said they wanted to use selective tendering.
According to her: “Nobody has challenged me that I put government money in my pocket. Or that I inflated the figure given by the clerk for the renovation. To the best of my knowledge, due process was followed as claimed by the management. I have no regret because one day the truth will come out not withstanding what the media has been fed with.’’
With regard to the vehicles proposed for her office and the principal officers, she explained that the vehicles were neither supplied nor paid for.
Etteh said she had not been issued official car since she was elected Speaker of the House. She said cars used by her predecessor were still packed at the mechanics shop with broken windscreens, causing her to use her private vehicles for official assignments.
In his testimony, Jarkasa explained that the management did not follow due process. “The meeting approved the contract and I did not know how they arrived at the figures. The documents came on the 11th of July through the Speaker via the Clerk. He asked me to arrange for a meeting for the next day. The contract was not advertised by management. There was selective tendering from above. I won’t be surprised if the company’s are not registered or not reputable but it was the Legal Department that was supposed to do the search. Yes some sections of due process were violated.”
But when reminded that he may have violated section 58 paragraph 4 of the Public Procurement law which carries a jail term of 5 years for negligence, Jarkasa said: “The minutes of the meeting did not say I should not follow due process. If you are asked to do it by a superior officer, it is like the military – obey before you complain.”
On the absence of some principal officers during the meeting, Jarkasa said: “those that attended the meeting saw the documents at the venue of the meeting. But there was no signal to exclude any body from the meeting. We did not put any notice; I don’t know how the quotation came. There was no estimate. It is not normal.”
The Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Ali Ndume who is also ANPP Leader in the House, said that no member of the principal officers from the opposition was privy to the meetings of 12th July, 2007, and that minutes of the meeting were not sent to any one of them. He however cautioned against a hasty judgement.
Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, while speaking in the same vein, said he was not aware of anything about the contract as well as the meeting where the approval was given.
“As the minority Leader, I don’t know anything about the contract. Nothing has been or was communicated to me as the Minority Leader in the House. The normal thing is for the Principal officers to be invited. But I was not invited.
Friday’s hearing was however, not without some drama. Earlier in the day, the panel asked the counsel for Stateco Nigeria Limited, Okechukwu Emelieze, to leave venue for what it termed an act of disrespect. The panel said he was rude during his appearance before it last week.
With the testimony by Etteh, the panel has concluded hearings from the House’s leadership. They will now sit in camera to collate information from the various groups that appeared before it.
But special adviser to the Speaker on media, Funke Egbemode said many members were convinced the entire furore was driven by ulterior motives. “Majority of members at the session agreed that the so-called scandal was nothing but unnecessary dirty politics aimed at squaring out with the Speaker by some people who felt that they were not given chairmanship of their choice committees, and in fact they voiced out this without any opposition.”
She also accused members of the Integrity Group, a group of legislators opposed to Etteh, of fuelling Thursday’s brawl in the House.
From Stanley Nkwazema in Abuja
This Day
Saturday, September 22, 2007
