Sky Blue:

Sorry to dissapoint you but i am not "out to get you" or out to "get" anyone that holds a view contrary to mine. I don't see how i twisted your words, I just thought the reasons given as a possible defence for Bankole were weak and flimsy when a more to the point one like you just gave could have sufficed. I was aware of the fact that the budget was signed by the house etc, etc as somebody candidly pointed out earlier on in the thread, that was a debate and I saw this as a possible rebuff. However, to come back with defence like "people are out to get Bankole" just seemed to me to be completely unecessary and shifting the whole issue. What is so difficult with rebuffing claims? And when the lawyer the article refers to went to the house of assembly why were explanations not given?

He was invited by the house i might add, the effort was made, and all for what? Just so that he could be shown by the house members that they are immune to redress and too exalted to be questioned? What was the point of inviting the lawyer and taking time out to see him (while all of this was apparently aired of course), if it was simply about using the opportunity to do big manism and ask "who are you"? It is disgusting, foolish and irresponsible and a waste of time. What is the difficulty "appointed" leaders have with answering questions and being accountable to the people they should be accountable to? And as it seems apparent on this thread some people are also guilty of thesame. Making the issue about feuds and what not as opposed to the factual information available and presented.

bioye:

I am as well aware of the drama that prevailed at the hearing held by the Ethics and Privileges Committee of the House and must say I was terribly disappointed by the way things went. I remember the chairman of the committee repeatedly cautioned the committee members and he particularly addressed the lawyer in a rather civilised manner. I have to admit that it is sad that some members of the House still cannot communicate based on facts but rather will resort to gangster behaviour. But that's by the way.

That being sad, you cannot rule out my effort in trying to bring to light[b] the possible reasons why all these allegations are coming to light now and the people behind[/b] the expose. I believe in prudence in the management of public funds, but I'm surprised Nigerians will scream at these news when the purchase of convoy vehicles is the order of the day for the Presidency, State Governors, Senate President, Ministers, Commissioners, State Speakers to mention a few!

Yes, we can eradicate corruption. But it cannot be championed overnight single-handedly by the Speaker if the other 359 members don't share his enthusiasm.

daby:


If there is anything like hope for Nigeria, The answer is sincere repentance from the bottom of our dear hearts and a complete 360 degrees turn around from the statusquo but who will start it, who will lead it, who will sustain the tempo and who is ready for the positive result.

Brilliant speech my friend, but i believe you meant a complete 180 degrees turn there, not so!?

lammie01:

@pepperspray

please this issue should not be reduced to a mere tribalistic issue.

Except we have a real true sincere revolution there would never be an end to these senseless stealing. If Bankole gets impeached today, the next speaker would do the same it is just a damn viscious cycle. God help us!!!!

Revolution All the way!!! These bastards should enjoy their loot in their graves or get their hands chopped off!!!

Sky Blue:

I agree with you on the last statement, but you do have to admit that this is not about what partains with state governments, ministers etc. The main issue is wether the fact that inspite of the cars costing so and so, there were questionable practises involved i.e. inflation of contracts, double VAT, paying for more expensive models while what was actually received was a cheaper version and hence wasn't what was paid for. In an essence, fiscal responsibility. It is afterall Nigerians that are paying for this lifestyle. It is not even about the obscene oppulence and spleandour that Nigerians pay the speakers and members for while the ordinary man suffers untold hardship, but wether even with all this oppulence there was fiscal irresponsibility, questionable practices and to coin a phrase "no due process" involved. [/b]The issue is corruption after all, isn't it? So should the eye be turned and all ignored because the spotlight is not on the state and federal ministries?

Eziachi:

What is it, with this Igbos- Bankonle and Ette and money/corruption?

bioye:



I would appreciate if you don't twist my words. I did not say anything of the kind that you expressed! Why not dispute my statements first? It appears you have made up your mind already and any contrary views expressed to yours would be summarily attacked. Take it easy. Now to respond to your hasty conclusions, the House of Reps collectively agreed to the purchase of cars for the committees. It was not singlehandedly decided by Bankole. Bankole had no hand in the purchase of the cars itself - it was entirely executed by the National Assembly management. When the cars were purchased, Bankole was not in the country. When he returned he was seriously dissappointed with the way the Deputy Speaker Nafada handled the matter. The issue was on the pages on newspapers then.

On the new issue of tv sets and all, my question is this: Were these purchases part of the 2008 budget as approved by the Legislature and accented to by the Executive? If so, there are definitely [/b]similar items in other budgets asides that of the [b]House. The only reason light is being shone on these is because some great enemies of Bankole are bent on taking power away from him. I wont be surprised if some of them are active in this very thread.

daby:

@ Peperspray,

Its quite unfortunate that we tend to attribute every event in nigeria to tribalism.
Eventhough its no news the acts of IBB, Abubakar and their like, is that enough reason for the stealing to continue expecially by people like Bankole who every youth in nigeria looked up to as a new breed in the nigerian political scene.
by the way, why is OBJ's name missing in your list or is he rather a saint to you.

You know every one of us complains about all these leaders, the fact remains that from the way most of us sound, we are no different from these ones. Imagine your own ways peperspary.
i bet u wont be differnet from them if you ever have the oppurtunity of being ther ursef. hope ur not bankole's relative because to me you sound as if u have a percentage in the loot.

yemivictor:

All i'll say is, Bankole is lucky Gani Fawehinmi has this medical condition & he can't shout!

If not, he'd have had it hotter than this!!

PepERSprAY:


Finally we have someone with correct gist. Leave Kobojunkie to continue with his tribal opata.

PepERSprAY:

Gani can still shout from his death bed. He is silent simply because Keyamo is making an empty fuss that has tribalism written all over it. I don't know why many Nigerians fail to see this. Keyamo should go back to preparing and swearing affidavits that he is used to and not ant corruption crusade.

You're just unbelievable, what of all the evidences that have been gathered against him!?

Or are the evidences tribalistic too!!

yemivictor:

You're just unbelievable, what of all the evidences that have been gathered against him!?

Or are the evidences tribalistic too!!

daby:

@ Peperspray,
i bet u wont be differnet from them if you ever have the oppurtunity of being ther ursef. hope ur not bankole's relative because to me you sound as if u have a percentage in the loot.

coolruler:

Look people, like it or not, allegations have been made by Keyamo. He, as a trained lawyer should know the importance of getting facts right. He has presented his facts to the public without giving a damn whose ox is gored.

Bankole, rather than vehemently defending his integrity, is attributing the expose to his political enemies. That is lame!
Keyamo gave us facts. Hard cold facts.
Let Bankole and Co come out with their own facts to disprove Keyamo. Simple!

And if they have nothing to hide, they should sue the hell out of Keyamo. There's still something called libel and defamation of character in this Country abi!

bioye:

Does being Bankole's relative disqualify anyone from making objective and productive contributions to the discussion?

bioye:

Does being Bankole's relative disqualify anyone from making objective and productive contributions to the discussion?

PepERSprAY:

I wonder o.

XKZ:

.No, but when a person's views sound so obviously biased you want to set the records straight.
Even as we argue that Bankole is innocent until proven guilty, why don't we also give Keyamo the benefit of doubt

PepERSprAY:

Or give Bankole the benefit of doubt. I think Keyamo is making frivolous claims to distract Bankole from doing his job as a civil servant and honorable speaker.



_{'Honorables' do not embezzle money. That's why the have 'honorable' attached to their names.}

ajiri avae:

good people of nairaland, please indulge me. i would as respectfully as possible like to comment on the commenteries. i think it cheapens the seriousness of the issue when people just make emotional statements. we are talking here about issues. statements that bankole is guilty simply based on the fact that he is a politician, in my very humble opinion, give the impression that the writer is just being emotional. please let us, as intelligent men and women give well thought through responses. it is this penchant for making such biased statements that makes me avoid political discuss. 
nozu said "this is what one gets in the remaining nigeria;lost souls, very confused set of people" in response to a previous comment i left. i'm assuming that he meant that as a diss. now young man, what are you basing that comment on. are you saying that my arguement was unintelligent or are you just dismissing it because it wasn't what you want to hear.
a lot of people have commented that keyamo's motives are not important. that is very naive. the man is making claims that are very serious. his claims will affect the direction nigeria will go and you think his intentions are not important, haba. saying that they bought televisions for 500k is not much information to go by if you do not tell me the brand and size of the t.v. i'm going to assume that there are people here who are aware that there are t.vs in shops in this country that go for even more. let's try not to let our emotions cloud our senses please. even peperspray, who i want to believe is just trying to defend someone he sees as being victimized, fell into the emotional trap. lets not turn this issue into 'market woman' gist.
for those of you claiming that keyamo gave cold hard facts. did he give facts or did he make allegations. there is a fundermental difference. allegations can be made by distorting facts. for example he claims that (according to punch, november 3) mercedes benz s.600 car (bullet proof) that (treated) cost them 52.8 million naira straight from manufactorer. the first question should be "how much is the going rate for that specification in the market right now. according to quotation submitted, between 82-105 million naira. i'm no math wiz, but 52.8 seems cheaper. or, are we REALLY saying that the fourth most powerful man in this country does not require the protection of a bullet proof car. is it his fault that such cars don't come cheap. keyamo claims that the cars supplied were inferior to those paid for. the said manufactorer says its because between payment and delivery, the price went up and since the house refused to pay the difference, they simply supplied what the money paid, could cover. like i said, facts or allegations. lets not forget that keyamo is a lawyer and thus, has the ability to distort facts.
like i said in my last post, lets not allow the p.d.p manipulate us in order to remove someone who they see as independent minded in order to replace him with a puppet. country people, i don talk my own.

lucabrasi:

while a man of bankole's age has just made history after a very hard fight as the frst black president of the united states of america,remember that they both went to ivy league schools abroad in fact they both went to havard and possibly studied at same time,the fact that bankole's intergrity has to be defended at all is a huge failure on his part because he has no excuse, remember unlike obama he had rich parents who sent him to all the best schools britain and the united states had to offer,yet while a man of his age and educational background is making history,bankole is making his own chequered history as the youngest speaker to be emmershed in corruption scandal, the fact that he has to be defended at all is a massive shame for him