The House of Representatives
finally relieved Mr. Farouk Lawan
of his position as the Chairman
of the Committee on Education
on Thursday.
The House had placed Lawan on
suspension since June last year,
following his involvement in the
controversial $620million bribery
saga.
While on suspension, the Deputy
Chairman of the committee, Dr.
Rose Oko, was asked by the
Speaker, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, to
chair the committee in acting
capacity.
The suspension, instead of being
removed as chairman, initially left
a window of possibility that
Lawan could be returned to the
headship of the committee.
But, on Thursday, Tambuwal
named a replacement for Lawan,
indicating that the four-time
(1999 till date) legislator had
been removed permanently as
chairman.
In his place, the speaker named
Lawan’s kinsman from Kano
State, Mr. Aminu Suleiman.
It was unclear whether the
House had confirmed the
indictment of Lawan over the
bribery allegation, as the speaker
did not give reasons for his
removal.
The sacking took place while the
House is yet to receive the report
of its Committee on Ethics and
Privileges, which investigated the
bribery saga.
However, Lawan and his
erstwhile secretary, Mr. Boniface
Emenalor, are currently standing
trial for the bribery allegation.
It will be recalled that Lawan
headed the ad-hoc committee of
the House, which investigated
the fuel subsidy regime between
January and April 2012.
The panel had uncovered how
government officials allegedly
connived with fuel importers to
defraud the nation of N2.07
trillion in the guise of funding
subsidy.
But, as the House celebrated the
finding, an oil businessman, Mr.
Femi Otedola , accused Lawan of
demanding $620m bribe from
him.
He claimed that the bribe, in
Lawan’s explanation, was to clear
two of his firms indicted by his
committee for subsidy fraud.
Otedola argued that the demand
shocked him because none of his
firms participated in the subsidy
regime.
Culled from Punch

There needs to be more than mere sacking.

BTW, if a person is removed then the deputy needs to take over. Enough of this silly zoning shyt.

That's a good one from the Ogar at the top. Pls sack dem old criminals.