Chairman, House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee Monitoring the Fuel Subsidy, Hon. Farouk Lawan, sang a different tune Monday over his role in the allegation that he collected $620,000 from the Chairman of Zenon Oil and Gas, Mr. Femi Otedola, to doctor the panel’s report.

Lawan, who had hitherto denied that neither he nor any member of the committee collected money from any of the oil marketers, told reporters in Abuja that he actually collected $500,000 from Otedola, whom he accused of offering him the money to influence the probe panel’s report.

Apparently reacting to THISDAY’s exclusive story yesterday where Otedola accused him of extorting money from him to remove Zenon’s name from the list of companies that collected foreign exchange from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) without importing petroleum products, Lawan said it was Otedola who initiated the bribe offer.

The House, however, is considering two options of dealing with the scandal, which many lawmakers have described as an undue embarrassment to the legislature, when it resumes plenary on June 19 after a one-week recess.

It was learnt that the House might either refer the matter to its Committee on Ethics and Privileges for probe or set up a special ad hoc committee to investigate the matter.

On his part, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, has promised that the Federal Government will take appropriate action when it receives the report of investigation into the allegation.

Lawan said he had informed the Chairman of the House Committee on Narcotic Drugs and Financial Crimes, Hon. Adams Jagaba, through a letter dated April 24, 2012 of Otedola’s alleged persistence to bribe him to influence the outcome of the investigation.

Lawan said he attached “the sum of five hundred thousand dollars only offered to me with another promise of two million, five hundred thousand dollars” to the letter.

On why he did not raise the issue on the floor of the House, he said he declined to do so as not to divert attention from the essence of the fuel subsidy probe.

Lawan, in a statement in which he gave a detailed account of what transpired between him and Otedola, said: “I had considered bringing this issue as a matter of privilege on the floor of the House later today (April 24), but I am concerned that the controversy it will generate will dwarf the contents of the report, which needs public attention so that necessary reforms in the sector could be affected.

“Given the desperation of Mr. Otedola, handling this matter, in a firm but diplomatic manner is necessary as he has also made some veiled threats which put me and members of the committee in a delicate situation.”

He also said that the ad hoc committee’s secretary, Mr. Boniface Emenalo, whom Otedola had said collected $120,000 on his (Lawan’s) behalf informed him that Otedola offered him $100,000.

According to Lawan, Emenalo did this through an April 24 letter he wrote to him. Emenalo’s letter reads: “I wish to inform you that I was on his invitation, at the residence of their chairman, Mr. Femi Otedola, in Maitama (Aso Drive) this morning and he offered me the sum of one hundred thousand US dollars in two bundles of $50,000 each. The money is hereby forwarded as evidence.”

Lawan also stated that the police were aware of the offer of bribe as the Inspector-General of Police (IG) in a letter dated May 9 directed the Task Force on Investigation to meet him.

He said the IG had in a letter with reference number CR:3000/IGP.SEC/STF/FHQ/ABJ/VOL 2/309 to him, called Lawan’s attention to an interview he granted a national newspaper on April 28, 2012 and directed, “a discreet investigation into the matter.”

The letter was signed by the Commissioner of Police, Special Task Force, Ali Amodu.

He said that in another letter dated May 16 with reference number CR:3000/IGP.SEC/STF/FHQ/ABJ/VOL 2/319, and signed by Amodu, the IG requested the money exhibit, names of witnesses and other material evidence from him.

Lawan explained that in a letter dated May 31, he told the IG that the matter (bribe offer) had been referred to the relevant committee of the House for legislative action.

He said he promised that the House would inform him (IG) about the outcome of the legislative actions.

According to him, the IG in a letter to the Speaker of the House, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, dated June 4, 2012, stated that a detailed criminal investigation had been ordered into the matter.

In the letter titled, ‘Investigation Activities: Letter of Invitation in a Case of Criminal Conspiracy and Attempt to Pervert the Course of Justice by Offering Gratification’, the office of the IG stated that “the Inspector General of Police has directed a detailed criminal investigation into the matter.”

His account of the story Monday completely contradicted the version he gave on Sunday in Abuja, where he claimed that he had previously alerted the public on the bid by an oil marketer, who he did not name, to bribe the ad hoc committee members and the House leadership to influence the outcome of the fuel subsidy probe report.

He further denied that neither he nor any member of the committee collected money from any of the oil marketers.

Otedola, on Sunday revealed to THISDAY how Lawan and Emenalo had collected $620,000 from him, as part payment of $3 million, in a sting operation masterminded by the security agencies.

He narrated how Lawan had allegedly approached him a few days before the report was to be tabled on April 18 before the House of Representatives, demanding money so that Zenon’s name would be kept out of the report.

It was, however, learnt that shortly after the bribe scandal became public, Lawan attempted to persuade the House leadership to provide him a soft-landing.

Sources said Lawan on learning that security agencies were in possession of the video clips containing the alleged bribery incident, sought for a way out of the mess and opted to publicly tender the “marked dollar bills” as exhibit at one of the plenary sittings of the House.

However, the plot failed when Speaker of the House, Tambuwal, and some principal officers of the chamber confronted Lawan and demanded to know why it took him about six weeks to disclose that an oil marketer attempted to bribe him.

However, speaking on the issue, Adoke said in a telephone interview with THISDAY Monday night, that the Federal Government will not condone any act of impropriety, adding that the country has enough laws to prosecute any offender.

“We are waiting for the report. As soon as we get it, we would investigate it and take appropriate action. The Federal Government will not condone any act of impropriety. We have enough laws to prosecute anyone who commits an offence in the country,” he said.

When contacted, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) stated that it had not been formally informed of the alleged bribery scandal, but would act once the report reaches them.

Corroborating EFCC’s position, sources confirmed that the State Security Service (SSS) has not sent a report on the bribe to any of the law enforcement agencies.

The SSS, however, was said to have notified Tambuwal several weeks ago of the information at its disposal on what transpired between Lawan and Otedola. The speaker, sources said, was said to have been shown the video footage showing Lawan collecting money from Otedola and the conversation that transpired.

Also, when the Chairman of the House Committee on Narcotic Drugs and Financial Crimes, Hon. Jagaba, was contacted to confirm receipt of Lawan’s letter, he denied receiving any letter to that effect.

“I am not part of the Ad Hoc Committee on Monitoring the Fuel Subsidy and to the best of my knowledge, I did not receive any such letter of complaint about an attempt to bribe the subsidy committee. I am not aware of anything concerning that transaction (bribery) and my committee is not in possession of such a letter,” he told THISDAY in a telephone interview Monday.

Jagaba said that while he could not hold brief for Lawan, it would be important for Nigerians to look at the issue on its merit.

According to Jagaba, the subsidy report unveiled monumental corruption in the management of the subsidy scheme and should not be undermined because of the bribery allegation against the committee.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/lawan-i-collected-500-000-bribe-offer/117822/


.....TO BE CONTINUED

I feel so disappointed in this Lawan guy...Not again in my life would I have confidence in any politician again. All of them are same of the same. mstewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

why nigerian leaders like this? People kept dying everywhere from hospitals, to roads to air disasters and these bunch of criminals keep exchanging money that belongs to all to settle themselves in order to put more sufferings upon nigerians. Waking up to hear nonsense allegations, counter allegations and at the end of it, nothing will come from it except another commitee set up to investigate and billions will be spent to bribe and counter bribe again? Why ? Nigeria why? What is our offence as a nigerians? Who are we to trust again?why did he kept denying in the first place, and took time for him to accept? Why cant otedola be arrested immediately when they have susbsantial evidences against him before he came out to accuse them? Is there any conscience again?
Why cant we wake up one day and just here a surprise news that nigerian president ordered that price of kerosene or commodities forced down to 30 naira per liter. Ah? What a country? Now i know that millitary regimes though, dectative, is still the best to control this country.

I always knew that another Committee will be set up to investigate the Fuel Subsidy Committee

It appears Farouk so carried out a sting operation on Otedola. We wait.

But the money with Farouk belongs to the SSS! Which one did he tender? I hope recorded the discussions oh!

Farouk Lawan released a statement on Sunday through which he denied accepting any bribe money from Femi Otedola to influence the subsidy report. The Chairman of the subsidy probe committee never denied taking $ 500,000 from oil baron Femi Otedola, he did however deny the existence of a videotape, largely because he never suspected its existence.

The Femi Otedola story of “involving the SSS and Lawan initiating the bribe attempt” appear to be part of an intricately woven plot to discredit the House of Representatives report on Fuel subsidy. The presidency is in a predicament over implementing the report as it calls for the punishment of some of his senior aides and campaign contributors, including Femi Otedola, Diezani Madueke (Minister of Petroleum Resources) and Stella Odua (Minister of Aviation).

Farouk Lawan reportedly informed the Chairman of the House Committee on Drugs/Narcotics and Financial Crimes, Adams Jagaban, about the bribe attempt, surrendering the $ 500,000 cash which consisted of ten bundles of mint $ 50,000, attached to a memo.

The memo from Lawan to Jagaban partly reads, “You may please recall that I intimated you of the persistence of Mr. Femi Otedola, Chairman Forte Oil, Zenon Oil and AP Petroleum to offer monetary inducement to influence the outcome and Consolidation of the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Petroleum Subsidy.

“Attached (to the letter) is the sum of five hundred thousand dollars only offered to me with another promise of two million, five hundred thousand dollars.

I had considered bringing this issue as a matter of privilege on the floor of the House later today when the House sits, but I am concerned the controversy it will generate will dwarf the content of the report which needs public attention so that the necessary reforms in the sector could be effected.

“I however believe that given the desperation of Mr. Otedola, handling this matter in a furious but diplomatic manner is necessary as he has also made some vested threats which put me and members of my Committee in a delicate situation.

“While reporting this matter to you and hoping that appropriate action will be taken, we shall continue to monitor him and if further offers are made, we shall duly handover to your committee.”

The Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar was also informed by the House of the  bribery attempt by Femi Otedola, a member of the President’s economic management team.

Based on the letter written to the IG on the bribery attempt, the police ordered a discreet investigation into the matter.

Farouk Lawan informed the law enforcement bodies over two (2) months ago about the bribery attempts, indicating his innocence of collecting the money maliciously.

It is however  telling that although the Chairman of Forte Oil claimed to have involved the SSS  early enough for them to conduct a sting operation, that there is no evidence of Lawan initiating the bribe proceedings.

According to sources, Femi Otedola called Lawan’s phone over 50 times the night he was given the money.

Secretary to the Ad Hoc Committee, Mr. B. C. Emenalo, also disclosed through a memo to Lawan another bribery attempt by Femi Otedola.

The memo,  entitled “Consistent Pressure to Compromise by Managing Director and Chairman, Zenon Oil and Gas, AP and Forte”.  It reads: “My earlier report/discussion with you on the above subject matter and your directives refer.

“I wish to inform you that I was on his invitation, at the residence of their(Zenon Oil and Gas, AP, Forte) Chairman, Mr. Femi Otedola in Maitama, (Aso Drive) this morning and he offered me the sum of One hundred thousand US dollars in two bundles of $50,000 each. The money is hereby forwarded as evidence.

“Please find attached the exhibit for onward transmission to the relevant Committee and Leadership.”

http://businessnews.com.ng/2012/06/12/lawan-never-took-any-bribe-from-otedola-informed-ig-of-police-promptly-of-bribery-attempt/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=lawan-never-took-any-bribe-from-otedola-informed-ig-of-police-promptly-of-bribery-attempt