Culled from Vanguard :
Vanguard investigations revealed that the hearing
which was initially scheduled for Wednesday, last
week could not hold as the major participants did
not show up at the venue.
It was also reliably gathered that Aliyu Madaki,
APC, Kano, who on the floor of the House
admitted that he told a journalist that PDP
lawmakers were given $20,000 and not $50,000
as reported had insisted the hearing must be
done in public.
Some PDP lawmakers, who spoke to Vanguard
under the condition of anonymity said “once a
sensitive motion is killed the opposition would
raise dust but when APC lawmakers kill a motion
nothing is said”.
A lawmaker from the South South region said,
“Last week a motion on further amendment to the
Electoral Act motion was killed on the floor of the
House by APC members and this did not raise
any dust but once it is PDP, then there will be
allegation that money has exchanged hands.
“Our members should change from this perception
of things as it is killing democracy in Nigeria”.
Another lawmaker from the South West simply
said ”What do you expect at this period of the 7th
Assembly? We are going to play politics on the
floor of the House till after 2015 elections, so
expect more allegations”.
Vanguard recalls that the House had on
September 24 mandated its committee on ethics
and privileges to investigate Madaki’s allegations
and submit its report within two weeks.
The deadline expired on October 8 but because of
the Sallah holidays, the committee could not start
the probe.
If found guilty of peddling false allegations,
Madaki may be suspended from the House for a
minimum period of two weeks.
The chairman of the committee on rules and
business, Rep. Albert Sam-Tsokwa ,PDP, Taraba,
had raised a point of order bordering on breach of
privilege on September 24, accusing a member of
bringing shame to the House over the $50,000
bribery allegation.
Citing order 8, rule 20 of the House Rules, the
Taraba lawmaker complained that he was
embarrassed by stories in some of the nation’s
dailies on the walk-out by the APC members on
September 23 plenary, indicating that PDP
members in the House were given $50,000 each
to stall debate on the motion by Abdulrahman
Suleiman Kawu to investigate the $9.3 million
arms deal involving two Nigerians and an Israeli.
Sam-Tsokwa had said “As the House chairman of
the rules and business committee, this issue is
not to my knowledge. No money was received by
any member of my party or myself”
Although, Sam-Tsokwa did not mention anybody’s
name, he alleged that the story was the
handiwork of a member of the House, adding that
the news story breached his privilege as a
member of the House.
To the surprise of members, Madaki however
admitted that he made the bribery allegations and
confirmed that he told a journalist that he heard
on good authority “that PDP members were given
$20,000 each.”
He said what he told the journalist over the
telephone about the bribe was that he was aware
that each of the PDP member was bribed with
$20,000 but not $50,000 as reported.
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