Power probe: Rep opposes invitation of Obasanjo

Okey Muogbo, Abuja - 09.05.2008

THERE appears to be a crack in the committee probing power contracts awarded by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo as a member of the committee has condemned the decision of the committee to summon the former president to appear before it.

Speaking in a telephone interview from the the United States of America , Honourable Ajibola Muraina described the summon as a parliamentary blunder, which should not be contemplated. He said there was no basis for the summon as there was no fraud uncovered that was directly linked to Obasanjo.

The lawmaker also faulted the invitation extended to Chief Obasanjo on the ground that it amounted to disrespect for him as a former president.

He said any information needed by the probe committee from the former president should be gotten from the ministers and former aides who worked with him and urged the committee to treat former leaders with respect. The committee member said if the committee needed any further information from the former leader, it should go to his house informally to collect such information and not to subject him to “public ridicule.”

Muraina, who said he was attending a conference on technology in Huston, Texas, said though he remained a member of the committee, he could not be a party to the summon by the committee on Obasanjo. According to him, “before I left home, there was no decision to invite former President Obasanjo over the power probe.

“We agreed that there was no need to call Obasanjo and that if the need arose, we should give him some respect. “As a member of the power probe committee, I am surprised to hear that he has been summoned to appear before the committee on Monday.”