The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, has appealed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to fix a new date for him to appear before investigators of the anti-graft agency probing the controversy surrounding the N10bn loan allegedly taken by the House.
Bankole was expected to appear before a panel of five operatives investigating the various allegations of fraud in the House on Thursday but did not show up at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.
Rather, the Speaker, in a letter addressed to the EFCC Chairman, Mrs. Farida Waziri, pleaded for more time to appear before the commission.
The letter, which was written through the Clerk of the House, said the request for a new date was due to the Speaker’s involvement in some handover ceremonies.
The EFCC had summoned Bankole on Tuesday to appear at the commission’s headquarters following a petition submitted to the anti-graft agency by a youth group.
The group, Youth Anti-Corruption League, had called on the EFCC to investigate alleged financial atrocities allegedly committed by Bankole.
Specifically, the youths wanted the EFCC to investigate Bankole’s role in the N2.3bn car scam and the mismanagement of the N9bn capital budget of the House for 2008/2009.
The placard-carrying youths had appealed to the EFCC chairman to enforce the anti-corruption policy of the government by arresting and prosecuting Dimeji Bankole.
Acting on the petition, Waziri had launched an investigation into the allegations against the speaker.
The special five-man team raised by the EFCC chairman had prepared to quiz the Speaker despite the pressure being put on the agency.
Media correspondents learnt that Bankole was invited to appear before the EFCC following the probe into the fresh allegations against him.
It was learnt that the probe into the N2.3bn car scam had been concluded and the findings sent to the Presidency rather than making it public.
Many journalists had besieged the EFCC headquarters in Abuja to lay ambush for Bankole.
Sources familiar with the investigation into the Speaker’s case said the commission had replied the letter and given him a new date of Tuesday, May 31 to appear before operatives of the anti-graft agency.
When contacted, the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the new date.
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Bankole pleads for new date to appear before EFCC
Bankole pleads for new date to appear before EFCC
NigerianEye
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Friday, May 27, 2011
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