|
|
Nigeria: TMG, NBA Charge Senate, EFCC On Iyabo Obasanjo
 |
 |
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
This Day (Lagos)
7 May 2008
Posted to the web 7 May 2008
Tunde Sanni
Ibadan
The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have tasked the Senate and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to be stronger in their bid to make the chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo Bello, face prosecution for her involvement in the N300million unspent budget allocation scam.
The TMG through its National Chairman, Comrade Moshood Erubami is asking the Senate to come out of its shell and allow the rule of law to take its course.
The Oyo branch of the NBA through its branch chairman, Mr. Bamidele Folorunsho, also asked the upper chamber and the anti-graft agency to be bold in their move to get the former first daughter face the law for her offence.
The TMG urged the Senate to strip Obasanjo-Bello of all privileges in the chamber and suspend her until the contrary to what Nigerians currently know is proved.The group stated that "now that the Senate is convinced that Senator Iyabo's earlier briefing on the N300 million Ministry of Health scandal misled it to taking side with her and absolved her of any case in the N300 million health ministry scandals, the first honourable path to strip her of priviledges in the Senate".
"What Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello did by running away from the law and rubbishing the court and the judicial process amounted to acts inimical to the honour of a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Erubami advised the fugitive federal lawmaker to be brave enough to come out of her hiding place, apologize to Nigerians for clothing the Senate in the garb of faded distinction, resign her chairmanship of the Senate committee on health and withdraw as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In its position, the Oyo branch of the NBA described the fugitive action of the former president's daughter as a national disgrace and embarrassment".
"The whereabout of the Senator is a problem for the EFCC and even the Senate. The whole scenario is politically motivated. How is the country and the leaders, especially the lawmakers, potraying themselves before the eyes of the international community, in this messy situation? It is indeed a disturbing development", he added while maintaining that the determination of the government to fight corruption would continue to be a mirage, unless the leaders re-dedicate themselves to the enthronement of a just and humane society, devoid of political sentiment.
|
According to him, "the mere fact that some people are wealthier than others is not in itself a social injustice. But the existence of gross poverty alongside conspicuous wealth is morally unacceptable.The fact that the teeming populace in this country does not have the basic necessities of life, while others live in luxury is a basic injustice, as it infringes the most on fundamental human rights of all, which is the right to life".
Nigerians both at home and abroad will be interested in knowing the end results of this case of Iyabo. First the Police should obtain both local and international arrest warrant, so that she can be picked up anywhere she is hidding herself. Who knows, she could just be in the farm.
Where is Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello? How come she has not been arrested? If her last name were Jallo, Nsa, Njoku or Dagogo would we still be holding this discussion? The world is witnessing a situation in Nigeria where the former President and her daughter a Senator are under investigation for varied offenses of corruption and moral decadence.
Nigerians should join hands with all people of goodwill at home and in the Diaspora to demand from the David Mark led Senate to produce Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello to EFCC. The former President and President Yar'Adua should also rise above the fray and use whatever... [Read Full Text]
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copyright © 2008 This Day. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Make allAfrica.com your home page | RSS Feed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top | Site Guide | Who We Are | Advertising | Search | Subscribe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Questions or Comments? Contact us. Read our Privacy Statement. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
