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Tag: Okoi Obono-Obla

  • Tinubu’s tax reform bill will promote fiscal federalism, eliminate corruption – Obono-Obla

    Tinubu’s tax reform bill will promote fiscal federalism, eliminate corruption – Obono-Obla

    Former Chairman of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for Recovering of Public Property (SPIPRPP), Okoi Obono-Obla, has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Tax Reform Bill as a significant milestone in the quest for fiscal federalism in Nigeria.

    Obono-Obla, an accomplished lawyer, stated that if passed and signed into law, the bill would help eliminate multiple taxation and curb corrupt practices currently plaguing the country’s tax system.

    In a statement sent to The Nation Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Tuesday, Obono-Obla urged critics of the bill to exercise caution, advising them not to discard the entire initiative due to minor concerns.

    He said: “We have been clamouring for a return to fiscal federalism so that every state in the federation would become centres of development and growth rather than parasites waiting for monthly allocations from Abuja.

    “The Tax Reform Bills, if passed into law, would restore fiscal federalism and turn the states into centres of development and growth”.

    He observed that the antagonists of the bill had failed to devote their time to peruse the four bills, the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024; Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024; Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, 2024; and Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024, to know their intents.

    “In the muddled atmosphere, nothing has been done by some antagonists of these bills to study them to discern whether what the protagonists have been saying about them is accurate”, he said.

    In the statement, Obono-Obla singled out the Nigeria Revenue Service Bill and highlighted how the document passed into law would revolutionise the country’s tax system.

    He said: “Before now, revenue generation and collection were handled by a myriad of federal government agencies, which the government didn’t even track, resulting in chaos and disorder, which some kleptocrats in these agencies took advantage of to steal, pilfer, and loot without any modicum of conscience.”

    However, he explained that with the passage of the Nigerian Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill 2024, the revenue generation and collection of taxes and revenue would be decentralised and domiciled in one agency known as the Nigeria Revenue Service, established by the Law.

    Read Also: Tinubu’s Tax Reforms explained in layman’s language

    He said: “The Nigerian Revenue Service would replace the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and is vested with all the powers functions, rights, other acts, and obligations of the Federal Inland Revenue Service.

    “The objective of the law is to provide legal, institutional, and regulatory frameworks for the administration of taxes and revenues under any law enacted by the National Assembly and to account for such taxes and revenue collected.

    “Therefore, all taxes and revenues hitherto collected by the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Marine Administration and Safety Agency, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, etc., would now be collected by the Nigeria Revenue Service”.

    He said the Nigeria Revenue Service would also be vested with the power to assist, upon request, a state or local government in the collection or administration of a tax that the requesting body has the statutory right to collect or administer.

    He said such assistance included all actions necessary for the proper assessment, collection, accounting, or enforcement of the tax.

    He said: “Additionally, the Nigeria Revenue Service is entrusted with the administration of personal income tax on any class or group of individual taxpayers.

    “With the establishment of the Nigeria Revenue Service, the fraudulent and corruptive practices we have seen over the years, where the bosses of federal ministries, extra ministerial bodies, and federal government agencies would share their budgetary allocations in a given financial year that were not spent, have ended.

    “The Accountant-General of the Federation is empowered, not later than 30 days after receiving a warrant endorsed by the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service and approved by a judicial officer, to deduct unremitted revenue due from any department, ministry, extra ministerial department, agency, or government from its budgetary allocations or any other money accruing to it, and such deductions shall be made to the Nigeria Revenue Service.

    “I, therefore, appeal to Nigerians opposed to the tax reform agenda to simmer down and not, in the heat of passion, throw away a laudable legislation such as the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024, which is intended to bring about a semblance of order to revenue generation, collection, and management in the country after more than 60 years of groping in the dark”.

  • SPIP denies abuse of office allegation against suspended chairman

    THE Special Presidential Investigation Panel for Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) has faulted claim that its suspended Chairman, Okoi Obono-Obla, engaged in abuse of office and was reckless in his conduct.

    A statement by the SPIP’s prosecutor Oluwatosin Ojaomo said Obono-Obla was being persecuted for his doggedness in the anti-corruption fight by “some powerful forces at the corridors of power” who were uncomfortable with his activities.

    Citing cases involving high-profile individuals being investigated by the SPIP, Ojaomo argued that the current move to edge out the panel’s chairman was a reflection of how powerful the forces behind corruption had become in the society.

    The statement reads: “Chief Obono-Obla has continued to investigate corruption allegations brought before the panel without putting political colouration, he investigate complaint of corruption and corrupt practices across party lines.

    “At this point, the only letter purportedly suspending Chief Obono-Obla is the one that emanated from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF); there is no statement whatsoever from the official quarters, most especially from the President’s spokespersons affirming the state of event on this matter.

    “We strongly believe that some powerful forces at the corridors of power are into a power play on this matter. President Muhammadu Buhari has never complained of the activities of the panel till date.

    “Is it also a coincidence that the same time Chief Obono-Obla was alleged to have been suspended on the orders of President Buhari, the head of legal unit of the panel, Celsius Ukpong, was also dismissed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) without any warning or disciplinary committee hearing from him.

    “The modus operandi is becoming clearer. From the turn of events, Nigerians can see how cancerous corruption has deepened itself into the fabric of the nation’s system.

    Read Also: Buhari suspends panel boss Obono-Obla

    “Everyone who attempts to fight corruption fearlessly in Nigeria is always met with stiff resistance as some powerful forces holding Nigeria to economic ransom are hell-bent on propagating the cause of corruption in Nigeria to the detriment of President Buhari’s avowed zero tolerance for corruption.

    “We believe that no matter how long it takes, the truth shall prevail and Chief Obono-Obla will complete the statutory assignment given to him by President Buhari and make him proud.

    “On the allegation of abuse of office being peddled around, we would have ignored it but for the sake of posterity and to set the record straight. It is on record that Chief Obonp-Obla has continued to conduct the activities of the panel in accordance with the statute that created it, the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provisions) Act and other enabling laws.

    “The panel is a child of circumstances and what the panel is going through today is the manifestation of the reality of its purpose and importance to the successful crusade against corruption in our country. How can employment of lawyers to prosecute cases for the panel before courts of competent jurisdiction be an unlawful act?

    “It was also alleged that the panel chairman has not been taking directive from the powerful forces at the Presidency before he investigates any petition that comes to the panel. Corruption is a societal issue in Nigeria and all members of the Nigeria public has a role to play to nip the cankerworm to the bud.

    “They never said the chairman disobeyed President Buhari, who he is supposed to report to on the activities of the panel, after getting corrupt persons convicted before the court of law.

    “It is on record that President Buhari has said times without number that whoever has a corruption case should not use his name to protect himself but should go and clear his name before the security agencies,” Ojaomo said.

     

  • How Obla got into trouble with Presidency

    A Presidential has disclosed how the activities and conduct of the Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, got him into trouble with the Presidency.

    Obono-Obla’s had claimed on Monday that his panel’s officials were being arm-twisted by some powerful Nigerians, stressing that his panel would remain committed to the fight against corruption.

    A top government official disclosed to The Nation that Obono-Obla has been under critical review for sometimes in the Presidency noting that his outright dismissal and prosecution is imminent.

    The source, on a condition of anonymity, said that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister had earlier recommended to the Presidency, among others “that a thorough investigation be conducted into the allegations of forgery levelled against Obono-Obla,” while also proposing suspending him from office.”

    He said that the Presidency has also received more recently an indicting report on the Panel Chairman bordering on acts of forgery and misconduct.

    He said that the Office of the Attorney-General has accused Obono-Obla on various issues “ranging from abuse of office, intimidation and unauthorized malicious investigations, financial impropriety, administrative misconduct, and allegations of forgery/falsification of records.”

    According to the source, the matter of the mandate of the Panel became an issue of judicial interpretation at the Appeal Court in the case of TIJJANI MUSA TUMSAH V. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, last year.

    He said: “In that case, the Appeal Court held that the Panel headed by Obla lacks prosecutorial powers and cannot seize properties belonging to anyone or obtain forfeiture orders against any public official.

    Read Also: Why I want to be tried separately, by Obla

    “The Court also held that the duty of the Panel upon conclusion of an investigation is to submit its report to the head of government and that the Panel, as against the conduct of the Chairman, cannot act outside its enabling Statute, the Recovery of Public Property Special Provisions Act of 1984.”

    When confronted with some of his alleged misconduct and other allegations, the said that Obono-Obla had pleaded profusely and was made to sign a written undertaking to mend his ways.

    But he said that the Presidency was shocked that no sooner he signed the undertaking, he abandoned it and continued singularly violating the law and regulations in place in the conduct of the work of the Panel.

    The source, added “Following a series of violations for which he was queried, Obla submitted a written undertaking to the effect that the panel under his leadership would only act on a written mandate received from the Presidency, and will seek authorization from the Presidency to undertake fresh mandates in accordance with extant laws of the Federation.”

    The main grouse against the Panel Chairman was that while the Panel was supposed to investigate only cases referred to it by the government, according to the law establishing the panel, the source said that the Chairman has single-handedly taking on cases outside of its mandate and in gross violation of Rule of Law, including violations of people’s fundamental human rights.

    The source said: “Inspite of the specificity of the mandate of the Panel, the FG has been inundated with complaints against Mr. Obla.

    “These include complaints of violation of the specific mandate of the Panel, human rights abuses and conduct unbecoming of an official of Government, which conduct and actions had a number of times subjected the Panel and the Government to ridicule.”

    The Presidential source noted that the matters however came to a head when the other four members of the 5-man Panel wrote a petition against Obla, asking for urgent action to curtail the “several identified unlawful conducts of the Chairman of the Panel.

    According to the Panel members, while two cases involving NEXIM Bank and CBN, Finance Ministry, Nigeran Ports Authority were referred to the Panel, the Chairman single-handedly took on over 50 cases outside the mandate of the panel.

    They also stated that “contrary to the fact that the Panel is an investigative panel by its enabling law, which lacks prosecutorial powers, Mr. Obla has unlawfully engaged lawyers to file charges against suspects without recourse to the Attorney-General’s office.”

    “The man has been busy extorting money running into millions from suspects and engaged in excessive behaviour towards individuals, government agencies, private companies and even foreign missions in Nigeria,” the source said.

    After an illegal secondment of over 100 policemen to himself the source said Chief Obla attempted to arrest the Executive Secretary of TETFUND “with a truck of mobile policemen which led to the petition written to the Attorney-General’s office over the incessant illegal harassment.”

    Among several petitions against Obla, which has caused considerable concern in government is the one by the Human Rights Writers Association bordering on allegations of forgery of WAEC result used for admission into the Law Faculty of the University of Jos.

    The Office of the Attorney-General, in its recommendation to the Presidency, also mentioned Obla’s “unauthorised investigations of several judges initiated by Mr. Obla through the issuance of notices to them to declare their assets, an obligation which these Honorable Jugdes had hitherto complied with through the authorized agency-the Code of Conduct Bureau.”

    It was also stated that Obla had used the Panel to arrogate the powers and functions of the EFCC and the ICPC.

    “In the circumstances, the Government is left with no choice than to review his appointment and possibly prosecute him for allegations of forgery and possibly also for criminal extortion,“ the source noted.

     

     

  • Oil coys contributing to economic adversity of Nigeria – Presidential Panel

    Okoi Obono-Obla, Chairman, Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property says oil companies are contributing to the economic adversity of the country.

    He said this at a press briefing in Abuja, on Monday.

    According to him, the companies are denying the country oil, taxes and royalties that will help government develop infrastructure.

    “We are investigating some of these companies for tax evasion, failure to pay royalties. Five oil companies have not remitted over 1 billion dollars to government.

    “We will get to the root of the matter,” he said.

    While reeling out other achievements of the panel in 2018, Obono-Obla said that with the Executive Order 6, which had to do with travel ban, the panel had compiled the names of about 39 public officers who were under investigation.

    “We have compiled their names and submitted to the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service so that they would be placed on travel ban,” he said.

    On the Panama Papers, he said the Panel was in partnership with the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA) investigating Nigerians allegedly implicated in the Paradise Panama Papers.

    “Findings will be made available to Nigerians in due course.

    Read also: Fighting Corruption: Obono-Obla led panel gaining grounds against all odds

    “The Panel is investigating the Tumsah brothers – Tijani Tumsah, Vice Chairman, Presidential Initiative on North East and Ibrahim Tumsah Director, Finance and Accounts, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, for alleged abuse of office and corruption.

    “The Panel has recovered an assortment of 86 brand new luxury and sophisticated cars from the duo; 23 of these vehicles are bullet-proof without the requisite permits.

    “We have since obtained an interim order of forfeiture from FCT High Court in Abuja in respect of these properties,” he said

    The chairman expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari, for courageously leading the fight against corruption.

    “We are also grateful to the President for his complete support and demonstrable resolve not to interfere with our operations in anyway,” he said.(NAN)

  • Sen. Uzodinma denies arrest, remains focused on governorship race

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, has denied reports of his arrest.

    Some sections of the media have reported that the Special Presidential Investigation Panel on Recovery of Public Property arrested the lawmaker on Sunday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja.

    The reports indicated that the chairman of the Panel, Okoi Obono-Obla, said Uzodinma was arrested for failure of his company to execute a contract of 12 million dollars for dredging of Calabar channel.

    However, Uzodinma, Chairman, Senate Committee on Nigeria Customs Service, told newsmen in Abuja, that the reports may not be unconnected with his emergence as a governorship candidate.

    He vowed to remain focused on the governorship race in spite of attempts to distract him.

    He said he would not be distracted by people who were yet to come to terms with his emergence as the governorship candidate in state.

    Uzodinma said: “I was never arrested. I also read it in papers like every other Nigerian.”

    On the contract, the lawmaker said Niger Global, the company that was accused of the complicity, had only two per cent share in the contract.

    “Before I came to the senate, I came from the private sector. I was in oil and gas and marine operations. I operated Niger Global.

    “In 2004 we participated in an international deal and Nigeria Ports Authority was looking for partners to manage the channels and we were lucky.

    “We were one of the companies that formed the consortium to manage Calabar Channels.

    “Calabar Channels Management Company is a joint venture being operated by the NPA. They have the major shareholders.

    “They have 60 per cent shareholding and then the consortium of like six other companies had different shares.

    “Niger Global had five per cent share and there is a five member board, where NPA has three and the consortium of companies two.

    “Before I came to Senate, I was in the board and the technical partners to the consortium dredged the Calabar Channel under the supervision of the Calabar Management Board,” he said.

    The lawmaker expressed surprise that the allegations were coming several years after the contract, adding that it was a clear case of witch hunt.

    “All I know is that some aggrieved persons are behind this, otherwise where was this panel since 2004.

    “I was in the 7th Senate from 2011 to 2015, why did this issue not come out. I have been here in the 8th senate from 2015 to date why didn’t the issue come up.

    Read Also: Saraki describes his resignation call by Oshiomhole as joke

    “To the best of my knowledge, the company worked, even though I am not in the management anymore but I am still one of the minority shareholders of that company.

    “If there is any question that must be answered by the company, the majority shareholder should first answer their own query.

    “If anything, I am a serving senator and a ranking one at that and the Chairman of the Southern Senators Forum.”

    On allegations of non-declaration of asset, Uzodinma said coming from the private sector into politics, he was surprised at the request by the panel.

    “Before I joined politics, of course I came from the private sector that is why I became even surprised when the panel said I should declare my asset for the past 20 years.

    “I have never seen anywhere in any law where private people are made to declare their asset to government,” he said.

    However, he said he obliged the panel by sending his declaration form and copying the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami.

    “The Presidential Committee wrote me sometimes last month asking for my asset declaration form alleging that I did not declare my asset.

    “I replied and attached my declaration form and copied the Attorney General of the Federation whom I suppose they are working under.”

    The governorship candidate said he would not be deterred in ensuring that the people of Imo are liberated from the untold hardship they were subjected to.

    He said: “with what has happened in Imo State, I thought by now, some of these underdogs should repent but they are still plotting.

    “I thought what they would do in the spirit of democracy is to appreciate the fact that some people are now in the party and the party will be better for it.

    “It is not easy to do what I have done in recent times. To make sacrifice, I followed my people and encourage them to be in the ruling party.

    “So name calling, campaign of calumny and all of that is only a distraction. I have been around for sometimes and I understand the meaning of politics and I refused to be distracted.”

    He further denied inducing the APC National Chairman, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, in order to be made the party’s flag bearer in Imo.

    He called on the aggrieved persons and other stakeholders to work together to grow the country’s democracy.

    He added that “some of us believe that this country must grow and we must be given the opportunity to contribute our own quota to national development.”

  • FG panel uncovers land fraud in Abuja

    The Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) said it has uncovered fraudulent practices in land allocation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The panel said the Federal Government has lost huge funds to the fraudulent practices where parcels of land are allocated for mass housing projects without the necessary payments made.

    Read Also:Two NECO officials suspended for alleged N400m fraud

    SPIP said findings by its investigative team revealed that, as at June this year, over 300 parcels of land were allocated for mass housing projects, but that 79 per cent of the beneficiaries “have not complied with statutory requirements and payments.”

    SPIP Chairman, Okoi Obono-Obla disclosed these during a visit to the Minister of the FCT, where he sought the Minister’s support for his panel’s planned public hearing on the issue.

    Obono-Obla said: “It may interest you to know that the panel is here to discuss issues concerning fraudulent leasing of land for mass housing development resulting in the non-payment of rates and fees amounting to billions of naira.

    “The panel, in the course of discharging its mandate, received intelligence on fraudulent leasing of land for mass housing development which has resulted in non-payment of rates and fees amounting to billions of naira.

    “Analysis of documents collected and collated in the course of investigation activities revealed as follows: As at June, 2018 over 300 mass housing lands were leased to developers.

    “Only 252 developers leased mass housing lands have reported and documented with the Department of Mass Housing. Only 71 sites have been inspected.

    “Only 64 developers have completed and signed lease agreements. 79% of the developers that benefited from Mass Housing Land leases have not complied with statutory requirements and payments.

    “From 2010 to June, 2018, the total fees collected amounted to N1, 086, 750, 000 only. This falls far short of the amount that ought to have been realised by the FCT.

    “Moving forward and in consonance with the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provisions) Act, 2004, the non-compliance of the beneficiaries of mass housing leases to statutory requirement is an act of economic adversity.

    “Therefore there is the need to recover the outstanding public funds,” Obono-Obla said.

  • Presidential panel recovers over N4bn, $7m

    The Special Presidential Investigation Panel on Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) has  recovered over N4 billion and $7 million cash as well as physical assets believed to have been illegally acquired, its chairman, Mr Okoi Obono-Obla, announced yesterday.

    Obono-Obla said in a statement in Abuja that the $7 million was recovered from the previous management of the Nigeria Export and Import (NEXIM) Bank which had “illegally placed” it in Heritage Bank.

    The naira component of the recoveries, according to him, includes N533 million and land valued at N1.5 billion also from the former NEXIM management.

    The assets, according to him, have since been returned to the bank.

    Obono-Obla said SPIP also recovered N24 million misappropriated by some directors of the National Theatre, and two hectares of land worth N2 billion, belonging to the National Council for Acts and Culture.

    Also recovered is part of Agura Hotel belonging to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), according to the chairman.

    “The property illegally annexed by some so-called powerful persons with untouchable connections for over 20 years, has since been returned to the NPA.

    “The panel is investigating the failure of a contract awarded to a company to dredge Calabar Channel, after the company had received 12 million dollars,” he said.

    Obono-Obla said the panel also recovered 86 assorted vehicles valued at N500 million from a director in the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

    “Other assets recovered from him are six houses in highbrow areas of Abuja and a large farm also in Abuja,” he said.

    Obono-Obla also said the panel is now spreading its dragnet abroad with assets illegally acquired overseas by serving and past public officers with looted funds as targets.

    The panel, he said,is partnering the UK Home Secretary to  deny suspected Nigerian looters entry into that country.

    He said that the panel had written to the UK Serious Fraud Office  and the U.S Treasury Office requesting investigation and seizure of assets worth millions of pounds corruptly acquired in both countries by certain Nigerian public officers.

    He said a particular    public officer  stashed stolen millions of British pounds in his London residence.

    He did not name the suspect.

    Another unidentified public officer is said to own a property in Florida,USA, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

    He said that the panel had provided the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) with information on property worth millions of dollars and pounds acquired abroad by some Nigerian public office holders.

    The SPIP was inaugurated by the then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in August, 2017.

     

  • Presidential panel to recover N87b bad debts for FMBN

    The Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property has disclosed plans to recover N87 billion bad debts owed the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN).

    A statement issued on Wednesday by the panel’s spokesperson, Lucie-Ann Laha, said the Chairman, Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla, stated this when he visited the FMBN Managing Director, Mr. Ahmed Dangiwa, in Abuja.

    Obono-Obla said the debts arose from loans obtained by estate developers and primary mortgage institutions between 2009 and 2016.

    He said preliminary investigations revealed that some of the loans were not used for purpose for which they were obtained.

    According to him, the loans were not serviced due to the bank’s failure to “enforce due process and procedures.”

    Obono-Obla urged the FMBN management to cooperate with the panel by giving it all the necessary assistance to facilitate quick recovery of the debts.

     

  • FG to name owners of illegally-acquired Abuja property

    The federal government on Thursday promised to release the names of 200 individuals who own property that was purchased with illegally-acquired funds.

    The Chairman, Special Presidential Investigative Panel for the Recovery of Property, Okoi Obono-Obla, said this at the “Tackling corruption through improving transparency in property ownership” project which was held by ANEEJ in Abuja on Thursday.

    Obla, who is also the Senior Special Assistant to the President Muhammadu Buhari on Prosecution, also launched ANEEJ’s new online platform ‘Properti Tracka’ which will aid in tracking down these illegal properties.

    He described the platform as being one of the single most important contributions towards the fight against corruption.

    “Anybody who has taken what doesn’t belong to him should return it back to Nigeria or else face being tracked down,” he said.

    “Properti Tracka will expose those who have taken what belongs to the entire Nigerian populace.

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    “We will start by making available to the public the 200 names of those who own massive properties in Maitama, Abuja, most of whom are highly placed people in the country, some in the government, some in the past governments.

    “If they cannot explain where they got the money to build such massive properties, they should quietly return it back to the State.”

    Executive Director, ANEEJ, David Ugolor said that the Properti Tracka will help to unveil the owners of these and more properties and find out whether they are actually paying appropriate taxes to the government.

    “The Properti Tracka is a citizen tool to identify these owners of illegally-acquired properties and also to push for clean property in Nigeria.

    “It will also serve to strengthen citizens’ knowledge about using technology to demand for transparency and accountability in the property market in Nigeria.

    “The source of building the property must be from a genuine source. We will be working with the federal government agencies, the tax office, and law enforcement agencies as well.”

  • Presidential panel sues Reps over planned probe

    The Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property has sued the House of Representatives over the green chamber’s plan to investigate the legality of the panel’s operations.

    A copy of the summons served on the house was made available to our reporter on Monday in Abuja.

    The other plaintiff in the matter is Mr Okoi Obono-Obla, the Chairman of the panel while the other defendant is the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Activities of the Panel.

    The suit, which was instituted by Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN), raised five questions for the court to determine.

    They are “Whether the resolution passed by the house on March 22 to set up the ad hoc committee to investigate the modus operandi of the panel is not tantamount to exercise of executive/supervisory power over the plaintiffs.

    “Whether the resolution passed by the house to investigate the legality of the panel is not tantamount to the exercise of judicial powers over the panel and its chairman.

    “If the answer to the first question is in the positive, whether by the provisions of Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution, the house and the committee are legally empowered to exercise executive/supervisory powers over the panel.

    “If the answer to question two is in the positive, whether by provisions of Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution, the house and the committee are legally empowered to exercise judicial powers over the panel and its chairman.

    “And, if the answer to questions three and four is in the negative, whether the letter written to the chairman of the panel on March 28, compelling him to forward certain documents to the committee is not illegal, null and void.”

    The panel, therefore, urged the court to declare that the House’s March 22 resolution to set up the ad hoc committee to investigate its “modus operandi” was tantamount to exercise of executive/supervisory power over it.

    The panel also asked the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the House from further taking any step against the plaintiff in respect of the resolution to investigate it.

    The panel also wants the court to declare that by provisions of Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution, the house and the committee are not legally empowered to exercise judicial powers over it and its chairman.

    In an affidavit deposed to by Mr Yohanna Shankuk, a litigation clerk in Keyamo’s chambers, stated that the panel was constituted by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He stated that the constitution of the panel was pursuant to the powers vested on the President by Section 1 of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provisions) Act.

    Shankuk further deposed that the law, upon which the panel was set up and headed by the chairman, had not been repealed.

    The deponent maintained that the panel believed that if the court did not intervene in the matter, the house would wrongly proceed to exercise its powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution.

    NAN