Lawmakers claim to have made ?startling revelations?, and summon Femi Otedola
The House of Representatives, on Thursday, commenced the investigation of its embattled member, Farouk Lawan, over allegations he received $620,000 to clear Zenon Oil, belonging to Femi Otedola, which had been indicted for fuel fraud.
The House Ethics and Privileges committee met with Lawan for hours in a closed door session, and said the oil marketer, Otedola, has been summoned to appear on July 3.
The committee chairman, Gambo Musa Dan-Musa, said the meeting had yielded ?startling revelations,? and that those mentioned will appear before the committee on a later date.
The committee also said the investigation will be thorough and fair.
?It is our belief that at the end of the day, our report will meet the expectations of the House and indeed that of the Nigerian public,? said Dan-Musa.
While Otedola and Lawan have agreed giving and receiving the money respectively, they both deny bit was a bribe, claiming instead they acted to expose the other for corruption.
Police investigators have attempted to recover the amount, which were marked by recorded security operatives.
The lawmaker told the investigators he surrendered the money to the House Committee on Financial Crimes chairman, Adams Jagaba, who in turn denied the claim.
Police sources had claimed Jagaba?s refusal to respond to police invitation slowed the investigation.
On Thursday, Jagaban reiterated his claim that he did not receive any money from Lawan. ?To put the records straight, neither my office in the National Assembly, nor that in my constituency is in receipt of the said letter purportedly written to me by Farouk,? he said. ?In fact, I also saw it for the first time in the newspapers as published.?
