Power Probe: At Last, House Summons Obasanjo, Atiku

ThisDay Newspaper
From Stanley Nkwazema in Abuja, 05.07.2008

Following a 10-day investigative hearing and a tour of power projects around the country, the House of Representatives Committee on Power and Steel has finally decided to summon former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, his former deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and the immediate past Finance Minister, Mrs Nenadi Usman.
They are to appear before the committee on Monday, May 12, 2008 at 10 am in the Conference Hall of the new building of the House of Representatives.
The invitation to appear was dispatched to the former president at his Obasanjo Farm, 30 Idiroko/Owode Road, Ogun State, on Monday through DHL, while Atiku's letter was delivered also on Monday at his 18 Oba Akenzua Street residence in Abuja.
Usman’s letter was sent to her 5b Shehu Yar’Adua Close, Off Sultan Road, and Angwa Rimi, Kaduna residence.
Former Senate Pres-idents, Senators Adolphus Wabara, Anyim Pius Anyim and Ken Nnamani, the two former Speakers of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ghali Umar Na’Abba and Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, though not officially invited, have all volunteered to appear same day to face Obasanjo in case he names them in his testimony.
In the letter with ref HR3/CT.47/26/Vol.1/103 dated May 3, entitled “Invitation to Appear at the Public Hearing on the Power Sector” and signed by the Clerk of the Committee, Mallam S.Y Ahmed wrote: “The House committee on Power and Steel was mandated by the House of Representatives vide resolution No HR/07/2008, to carry out a thorough investigation and conduct a Public Hearing into how huge sums of money was [were] expended in the power sector from 1999 to 2007 without commensurate result.
“In carrying out this mandate, the committee has conducted a Public Hearing where oral testimonies were made by stakeholders, from the public and private sectors.
“In the course of the hearing, a lot of allegations and counter allegations were made. References were also made to approvals and directives alleged to have been given by Your Excellency as the then President of Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as in your capacity as chairman of the Federal Executive Council.
“The decision to extend an invite to you was taken on Tuesday April 22, when the members unanimously resolved that before submitting its report, it is appropriate to give you fair hearing by inviting you to come and give an insight and perspective into what you know or your role in the execution of projects in the Power Sector from 1999 to 2007.
“While thanking Your Excellency for honouring this invitation, please accept the assurances of the Committees highest regards.”
Chairman of the Committee, Honourable Ndudi Elumelu, who confirmed the authenticity of the letter last night, said: “I think we are getting close to the end of the tour and there is the need to get the people we have invited for our final lap.
“We should be able to get vital information from these people so that we can make our recommendations to the House in plenary. It is true we have invited them and we have the powers to summon them. At least you are aware of the relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, particularly sections 88 and 89. We are not joking and we know what we are doing here. You don’t jump to conclusions.”
For Atiku, the House wrote, in part: “It is appropriate to give you a fair hearing by inviting you to come and give an insight and perspective into what you know or role in the execution of projects in the Power sector from1999 to 2007 in your capacity as the chairman of the Implementation Committee on National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP).”
But the Media Assistant to the former VP, Mallam Garba Shehu, when contacted yesterday told THISDAY that Atiku had travelled to Dubai enroute the United States of America on Monday.
“I am not sure that he got the letter of invitation sent to his House. We did not get in the office. He has travelled to the United States via Dubai. He left Monday night. But let me tell you that he was ready to come and testify before the House. But he was not a witness or part of all that took place within that period. He can be hardly of any help or use to them,” he said.
But it is possible that he could make a quick dash back to the country.
“I think that he may make a quick detour back to the country. He will come and it is in his interest to honour it so that he could state his own side of the story,” a lawmaker who is an ally of the former VP said last night.