ABUJA – Clerk of the House of Representatives, Mr Mohammed Sani-Omolori, Wednesday, told an Abuja High Court sitting at Apo that he warned the embattled former Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, against securing loans for the enhancement of the “running costs” and “welfare packages” of members of the 6th session of the lower House, without recourse to due process.

Omolori, who testified before the trial court as the fourth principal witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, insisted that though the 2010 budget of the House specifically made provision for the allocation of N27.5 million to each member, per quarter, the lawmakers, however, unilaterally agreed to increase the amount to N42 million.



He told the court that sequel to perceived delay in the release of N60 billion which, he said, was originally apportioned to the 6th session of the House in the 2010 budget, its leadership under the two accused persons, Bankole and his erstwhile deputy, Usman Nafada, conceded to set up a 37-man committee to look into agitations from members for an increment in their welfare package.

Determined to convince the court on the veracity of his assertion, the clerk named all the principal members of the committee that met and approved the idea of sourcing loans from banks.

He said: “My lord, the funds for the day-to-day running of the House comes from budgetary allocations. The 1st accused, the then speaker, who was my direct boss, acted as the approving authority and had to approve all the expenditure for the House.

“Some time in March last year, the leadership of the House called an executive session briefing where they discussed about the import of the 2010 budget.

“Incidentally, my lord, it was the first executive meeting I was attending as the Clerk. There, all the executive members of the House were duly briefed and they expressed dissatisfaction with certain aspects of the budget, one of which was the issue of running cost.

“They advanced reasons why the leadership of the House had to agree with them and enhance the running cost and welfare package of all the members. In response, the leadership then considered that since they have done what ought to be done and the members wanted more, there was, therefore, need to set up a committee to look into the matter.

“My lord, this executive session was fully documented. The whole idea was that the running cost should be put in the said budget that was then in the offing, this is because at that time, the budget was only proposed but not passed.

Those at the session

“Those who attended the session were the two accused persons before this court, who were then the presiding officers of the House, as well as, eight other principal officers namely, the House leader, Mr. Tunde Akogun; Deputy House leader, Mr Baba Shehu; Chief Whip, Emeka Ihedioha; Deputy Chief Whip, Aminu Tambuwal; Minority leader, Ali Ndume; Deputy Minority leader, Abdulrahman Kawu; Minority Whip, Femi Gbajabiamila and Deputy Minority Whip, Bello Mutawale.

“After that 1st executive session, one week later, the 27-man committee tendered their report where they proposed all the enhancement they desired from the budget after which the House leadership asked them to bring the said report to me.

“Meanwhile, about four members of that group approached me, they did not come to discuss the rationale behind the sought increment, but to direct its immediate implementation.

“My lord, I promptly notified the then speaker (Bankole) who urged me to ensure that rules were followed to the letter. However, agitation from members became more serious. From that time till May 12, the House couldn’t even perform its constitutional duties as members insisted that they were either paid what they wanted or the leadership of the House would be sacked.

“The tension gave rise to a meeting that held at the Speaker’s guest house in Asokoro, where the situation on ground was exhaustively discussed.

“Guided by the fact that the entire demand falls within the N60 billion in the budget that was just passed at that time, the leadership decided to source for the fund through bank loan or the two other arms of the National Assembly i.e. the Senate or Management.

‘My advice was ignored’

“It was at this juncture that I wrote to the Speaker, raising concern about the fact that whatever we needed to do must be properly situated in the budget. A memorandum I minuted to the Speaker, said though the members were not working outside the budgetary allocation, the running cost was however not empirically provided for in the budget.

“My letter was ignored and the loan was subsequently obtained and members were duly paid the enhanced running cost even in arrears.”

The committee report and the memorandum were tendered and admitted into evidence by the court.

Besides, the witness told the court that neither of the two accused persons benefited from the said increment, adding that owing to their initial hesitance to okay the “welfare enhancement”, members of the House decided to punish them by insisting that the initial running cost of the speaker and his deputy be slashed to N100 million and N80 million, respectively.

Meanwhile, trial Justice Suleiman Belgore, adjourned the matter till today to enable the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Abubakar Salisu Maikasuwa and the Director of Finance of the National Assembly, Mr Bukoye Lasisi, to appear before the court as EFCC witnesses.

Though the trial judge summoned them to appear before him yesterday, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Festus Keyamo, who drew the attention of court to the sudden sack of the EFCC ex-chairman, Mrs Farida Waziri, said the witnesses, after agreeing to come to court that yesterday, reneged upon learning about the change in the leadership of the anti-graft agency.

Further hearing on the matter continues today.

It will be recalled that the accused persons are facing a 17-count charge that was preferred against them by the anti-graft agency.

EFCC had in the substantive charge before the court alleged that the accused persons, being entrusted with House of Representatives’ Account No. 00390070000018 with the United Bank of Africa, Plc and the Overhead Account of the House of Representatives with First Bank of Nigeria, Plc, properties of the Federal Government of Nigeria, dishonestly used the accounts to obtain loans totalling to about N40 billion.

It equally accused them of breaching public trust by agreeing to approve the allowances and ‘running costs’ of members of the 6th session of House of Representatives, in violation of the approved remuneration package for political, public and judicial office holders by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, as well as, the extant Revised Financial Regulations of the Federal Government of Nigeria, 2009.