Diaspora Nigerian grills Bankole on corruption allegation
By Ini Ekott
July 30, 2010 12:31AM



A question by a woman on why Patricia Etteh was removed as Speaker of the House of Representatives over corruption allegations, yesterday, forced conflicting responses from Dimeji Bankole, the current Speaker who is also facing allegations of corruption, and the house ethics chairman.

Stella Okereke, a Nigerian resident in America, faced up to Mr. Bankole during a courtesy visit by Nigerians in Diaspora group, and demanded to know why he has retained his seat when he played a role in removing Ms. Etteh on a similar accusation.

Ms. Okereke said she monitored the events of June 22, 2010, in the house, when 11 members of the house were suspended for leading calls for the Speaker to step down on corruption allegations.

“When Patricia Etteh was accused of committing crime against the house, it didn’t take a long while before you people pushed her out,” she told Mr. Bankole at the event organised by the House committees on diaspora and foreign affairs.

“Since what is good for the goose is also good for the gander, we are asking why was Etteh punished when we are having the same thing now.”

Mr. Bankole devolved the query to the chairman of the committee on ethics and privileges, Sani Minjibir, whose committee is charged with the responsibility of the chamber’s self-scrutiny.

Mr. Minjibir argued that the two cases were not similar, since an investigative committee, which he was a member of, found Ms. Etteh guilty of not following due process - an argument Mr. Bankole himself rejected.

“The conclusion we reached, which has stood the test of time and adjudged okay by my colleagues, found out that the former Speaker was the person who was driving the procedures and in all the procedures, due process was not followed,” Mr. Minjibir said.

“When we come to the Melaye’s case, we must always understand that until proven guilty, one is still innocent. As the ethics committee chairman, I have not taken sides with any party. I don’t attend meetings of any of the sides, and my colleagues know that, as I will do justice.

“The Melaye’s case pains me. The rule is that members exhaust internal mechanisms before anything, and these people did not,” he explained.

But Mr. Bankole countered the argument, admitting that the House position was not a judicial indictment. “I will be as frank as possible. I’ve been known to be sometimes frank,” he said.

“For the records, Foluke Etteh was never indicted by any court, and was not impeached and remains a former Speaker.”

Mr. Bankole, however, evaded discussing the allegations against him saying the matter is already before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5600194-146/diaspora_nigerian_grills_bankole_on_corruption.csp