Ibrahim Lamorde
THE alleged diversion of over N2 trillion by the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC), Ibrahim Lamorde, would be pursued by the Senate to a logical conclusion, in order to find out the true position.
The money was reported to be the worth of seized funds and assets from investigated corrupt politicians by Ibrahim Lamorde, the chairman of the anti-graft agency.
Chairman, Senate ad hoc Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Dino Melaye, explained at the weekend, during an interview with newsmen, that there was nothing wrong with the probe, assuring that the committee would pursue the probe of anti-graft agency to its logical conclusion.
In spite of the alleged procedural error in the way the petition was submitted, Melaye believed that there was nothing wrong with the probe of the EFCC, insisting that there was a way petition could be submitted, adding that this was stated clearly in Senate’s standing rules and the one upon which Lamorde was being probed by the relevant Senate committee was routed through one of the provisions of the rules.
It will be recalled that Chief Executive Officer of Public Alert Security Systems, George Uboh, had petitioned the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, accusing Lamorde of diverting recovered stolen items amounting to N2 trillion.
However, acting upon the petition the committee, held a public hearing weeks back, where Uboh made submissions on the allegations, but some senators of the All Progressives Congress (APC), under the group name of Senate Unity Forum and the PDP senators, through a statement issued by the Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, kicked against the probe exercise, saying it violated the procedures of the Senate.
Specifically the Senate Leader, Ali Ndume ( APC Borno South) addressed the newsmen and declared that “I think there were some procedural lapses there, but I don’t want to believe it was deliberate, because there is no way you can cut corners or use the institution of the Senate to settle personal scores; it doesn’t work that way.
“Afterall, whatever decision you take has to be considered on the floor of the Senate and it has to be passed. So, even if it is a committee’s recommendation, after the committee works, the report has to be presented in plenary and a simple majority will have to agree with its content before the report becomes acceptable.
“As you must have observed, I am not used to talking about these issues, because the end justifies the means. So, if you go and make noise all over, you should know all that noise will have to be accepted by the majority of the Senate before it becomes anything. So even if the committee does the work and the Senate rejects it, that is the end of the report. So, why make an issue out of this?”
Meanwhile, a group of Civil Society Organisations, under the umbrella of Anti-Corruption Coalition (ACC) has given the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Lamorde, a seven-day ultimatum, to appear before the Senate to defend himself against series of corruption allegations levelled against him or resign.
The body, in a statement at the weekend and signed by its protem national coordinator, Comrade Mohammed Saliu, expressed shock that more than two weeks after Lamorde was summoned to appear before a Senate public hearing panel probing the allegations, he had neither shown up or defended himself.
According to the statement, “it has been two weeks now since the nation was greeted with series of weighty allegations of fraud against the EFCC chairman, Mr Lamorde as contained in a petition submitted to the Senate by a whistle-blower, Mr Uboh.
“It will be recalled that on Wednesday, August 26, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, held a public hearing on the allegations of fraud against Lamorde, but he snubbed the panel.
“Two weeks after, Mr Lamorde is yet to appear before the Senate Committee or offer the Nigerian public whose taxes are being used to pay his salary and fund the agency, any explanation or defence. We found this strange, abnormal and ridiculous.
“Is Mr Lamorde saying that the allegations that he shared properties recovered from former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun and ex-governor of Bayelsa State , Diepreye Alamieyeseigha among his brothers and other relations, apart from diversion of billions of naira not grave enough to defend? Even when the name of his brother, Usman Lamorde was mentioned as a beneficiary of the senseless relooting of our commonwealth under the guise of fighting corruption?,” the group asked.
The money was reported to be the worth of seized funds and assets from investigated corrupt politicians by Ibrahim Lamorde, the chairman of the anti-graft agency.
Chairman, Senate ad hoc Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Dino Melaye, explained at the weekend, during an interview with newsmen, that there was nothing wrong with the probe, assuring that the committee would pursue the probe of anti-graft agency to its logical conclusion.
In spite of the alleged procedural error in the way the petition was submitted, Melaye believed that there was nothing wrong with the probe of the EFCC, insisting that there was a way petition could be submitted, adding that this was stated clearly in Senate’s standing rules and the one upon which Lamorde was being probed by the relevant Senate committee was routed through one of the provisions of the rules.
It will be recalled that Chief Executive Officer of Public Alert Security Systems, George Uboh, had petitioned the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, accusing Lamorde of diverting recovered stolen items amounting to N2 trillion.
However, acting upon the petition the committee, held a public hearing weeks back, where Uboh made submissions on the allegations, but some senators of the All Progressives Congress (APC), under the group name of Senate Unity Forum and the PDP senators, through a statement issued by the Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, kicked against the probe exercise, saying it violated the procedures of the Senate.
Specifically the Senate Leader, Ali Ndume ( APC Borno South) addressed the newsmen and declared that “I think there were some procedural lapses there, but I don’t want to believe it was deliberate, because there is no way you can cut corners or use the institution of the Senate to settle personal scores; it doesn’t work that way.
“Afterall, whatever decision you take has to be considered on the floor of the Senate and it has to be passed. So, even if it is a committee’s recommendation, after the committee works, the report has to be presented in plenary and a simple majority will have to agree with its content before the report becomes acceptable.
“As you must have observed, I am not used to talking about these issues, because the end justifies the means. So, if you go and make noise all over, you should know all that noise will have to be accepted by the majority of the Senate before it becomes anything. So even if the committee does the work and the Senate rejects it, that is the end of the report. So, why make an issue out of this?”
Meanwhile, a group of Civil Society Organisations, under the umbrella of Anti-Corruption Coalition (ACC) has given the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Lamorde, a seven-day ultimatum, to appear before the Senate to defend himself against series of corruption allegations levelled against him or resign.
The body, in a statement at the weekend and signed by its protem national coordinator, Comrade Mohammed Saliu, expressed shock that more than two weeks after Lamorde was summoned to appear before a Senate public hearing panel probing the allegations, he had neither shown up or defended himself.
According to the statement, “it has been two weeks now since the nation was greeted with series of weighty allegations of fraud against the EFCC chairman, Mr Lamorde as contained in a petition submitted to the Senate by a whistle-blower, Mr Uboh.
“It will be recalled that on Wednesday, August 26, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, held a public hearing on the allegations of fraud against Lamorde, but he snubbed the panel.
“Two weeks after, Mr Lamorde is yet to appear before the Senate Committee or offer the Nigerian public whose taxes are being used to pay his salary and fund the agency, any explanation or defence. We found this strange, abnormal and ridiculous.
“Is Mr Lamorde saying that the allegations that he shared properties recovered from former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun and ex-governor of Bayelsa State , Diepreye Alamieyeseigha among his brothers and other relations, apart from diversion of billions of naira not grave enough to defend? Even when the name of his brother, Usman Lamorde was mentioned as a beneficiary of the senseless relooting of our commonwealth under the guise of fighting corruption?,” the group asked.
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