Alleged $600,00 subsidy bribe: I never collected money from anybody---Farouk Lawan


....says video clip is a caricature meant to blackmail him

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy, Hon. Farouk Lawan, has denied media reports that a top member of the committee received $600,000 bribe from an oil marketer to influence the report.

Lawan told journalists in Abuja last night that he neither demanded nor collected money from "anybody in connection with the fuel subsidy probe."

In a situation where the Committee uncovered fraud over N1 trillion, Lawan said it should be expected that the powerful cabal behind the high scale corruption in the oil sector would not only fight back but would fight dirty.

Denying ever meeting the unnamed oil marketer at the Abuja airport to receive the $600,000 first installment of what was said to be a $3 million bribe, an apparently angry Lawan said he had to leave the country when pressures were coming from high quarters to doctor the report to suit certain interest.

Lawan, in a statement bearing his signature and issued to newsmen, said: "My attention has been drawn to several newspapers and Internet stories alleging that a prominent member of the House Adhoc Committee on Petroleum Subsidy demanded and received the sun of $600,000 as bribe from an oil marketer.

"I wish to categorically deny that I or any member of the committee demanded and received any bribe from anybody in connection with the fuel subsidy probe and I believe this is evident from thorough and indepth manner the investigation was carried out and the all-encompassing recommendations produced therefrom as approved by the whole House.

"The general public is hereby reminded that during and after the investigations, we have severally raised alarm on pressures on us from different quarters. In particular, I wish to refer to the front page publication in the Leadership Weekend newspaper of 28th, April, 2012 captioned "Marketers offered subsidy committee plane-load of dollars" where we alerted the public that a marketer promised to fly in a jet loaded with US dollars which he "intended to share to both the House leadership and members of the Adhoc Committee" to influence the outcome of the report.

"The clarification is necessary in order to clear all the insinuations being bandied about and more importantly to enable Government concentrate on the implementation of the report.

"The present mudslinging is not unexpected in view of the caliber of people whose actions or inactions were found wanting in the report. I am aware that in their desperation to discredit the report and divert the attention of the public from the real issues of large scale fraud in high places established in our report, a video footage displaying a caricature of my person allegedly having a dealing with a marketer reminiscent of military ear when dignitaries were invited to the Villa to watch video clip of phantom coup involving Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is already in circulation.

"I wish to assure all Nigerians that the sanctity of our reports remains unassailable and it will be in the best interest of the country if the relevant authorities faithfully and consciously implement the resolutions of the House. No amount of red-herring and cheap blackmail will affect our resolve to act in the best interest of the country with all the available information at our disposal. No doubt, the last has not been heard".

http://thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news-update/49763-alleged-600-00-subsidy-bribe-i-never-collected-money-from-anybody-farouk-lawan.html#.T9UCLnWWDRM.twitter

farouk lawan should be phucked by a mongrel dog and then hanged! bloody midget!

@torkaka:

Maybe the video should be released so there's confirmation of the claims from both sides, BEFORE we judge!

Getting more interesting.

"When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea" - Eric Catona .

This is another obvious case of corruption fighting back the fighter. Farouk, please carry go. This is not the first kind of hullabaloo video. Nigerians are watching.

who to believe now,when the both sides are already known to us as money-grabbers.

"farouk lawan should be phucked by a mongrel dog and then hanged! bloody midget!"

It's wrong for people to just log in here and post trash. You aren't better person than they are!

nuclearboy: @torkaka:

Maybe the video should be released so there's confirmation of the claims from both sides, BEFORE we judge!

dude no smoke without fire! this is what we call "small breeze blow fowl yansh"

Where is the mad man called reno omokri? GEJ and his team of corrupt army fails again. Otedola is a traitor. He should spend the rest of his life at Guantanamo. Thief calling himself a business man.

deltaforce7: "farouk lawan should be phucked by a mongrel dog and then hanged! bloody midget!"

It's wrong for people to just log in here and post trash. You aren't better person than they are!

so far i've not yet collected bribe under public trust so i think i'll pass!

All this one na grammar, are they bringing the 1Tr back and reducing fuel back from 94 to 50?... are they going to jain the culprit and charge interest on the fraud...so, why are d delay.. my friend jona.. your friend jona..

This matter tire me sef oo
But with the nigerian factor,I am forced to believe that FA collected the bribe

Nigeria don worst finish, dis GEJ way we get don destroy everything, light no even dey my area, they want us to base on generator

Why, if the allegations are true, and the SSS has video evidence of the crime, is this man still walking free? Is it as he, Farouk, says it is? Or is the SSS too busy to pursue him on this?

Haben1: Nigeria don worst finish, dis GEJ way we get don destroy everything, light no even dey my area, they want us to base on generator

bros no be small matter oh... water no dey, light no dey, food dey high.. aeroplane dey drop...

Why all this wash wash naw?...

Did we expect Farouk Lawan to say, "Yes, I collected bribe ?" lol......shameless Lawan. You are going to jail!

Getting more interesting can't wait while its unfold.

I posted this elsewhere:

"The present mudslinging is not unexpected in view of the caliber of people whose actions or inactions were found wanting in the report. I am aware that in their desperation to discredit the report and divert the attention of the public from the real issues of large scale fraud in high places established in our report, a video footage displaying a caricature of my person allegedly having a dealing with a marketer reminiscent of military ear when dignitaries were invited to the Villa to watch video clip of phantom coup involving Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is already in circulation.

"A caricature of his person!"
Damn!

It is easy to see just how much of a criminal this Farouk Lawan is! lol!

...By the way, "a caricature of Beaf's person" made this post.

The Presidency is looking for a fall guy and i can assure you that they won't get it in Farouk Lawan. PDP/Presidency is the worst thing that has happened to Nigeria.

Billyonaire: Did we expect Farouk Lawan to say, "Yes, I collected bribe ?" lol......shameless Lawan. You are going to jail!

bros i bow for you.. all dem crooks wey offer bribe never go jain, na prosecutor go come go jail....

Person need to do report self, correct documentary to show the effect of corruption on the upper class, cos, dem sef come dey die like chicken naw... their brother dey die for bad road, with no 911 call... their people sef come dey drop from air... abi e never tire dem sef?

Farouk Lawan should be investigated and jailed if found guilty.

But they should just not use this to cover up or divert attention from subsidy probe.

Its such a shame that FG cum Jonathan culd decend this low with cheap blackmail. As for us, we ar ok with report of the committe headed by Farouk, if he recives dollars or Cds we don't care as we prefer to be on the side of Farouk. However Farouk should be ashemed if he truely received bribe for such a sensitive probe coming at such a time.... I would love to join this Farouk PR group, to make sure we publicly deal with those yeye calbals....

Very obvious its a smokescreen trying to smear the report. If not why haven't they named the purported bribers? In fact who even leaked the story and how did he find out? By now an authentic video would have gone viral, that fact that there's so lil facts in this shows its not factual!

damola1:

bros i bow for you.. all dem crooks wey offer bribe never go jain, na prosecutor go come go jail....

Person need to do report self, correct documentary to show the effect of corruption on the upper class, cos, dem sef come dey die like chicken naw... their brother dey die for bad road, with no 911 call... their people sef come dey drop from air... abi e never tire dem sef?

My brother, I don tire. This country, dog eat dogs.

him no collect bribe na me collect.

i kinda believe this mr lawan version of the story.. the cabals will surely fight back and there are. let them make the video public so the ppl can judge.

Nija gvt sha dey must luk 4 way to divert attensions. In d first place it was bukola saraki wo was decleare wanted by police IG, jst because he raise d bill to d probe of d subsidy. Leter tanbuwa d speaker wasalso acuse of mis apropriation and loan, jst because he back d subsidy probe. And nw is d chairman of d adhoc cmttee. D point is if d guy trully take bribe dem 4 real he wunt av has gurt to strogly xpose dem. Only god will safe us 4rm d hand of jonateef badluck

Billyonaire: My brother, I don tire. This country, dog eat dogs.

Nigerians be maga, dem don maga us finish... see as every dey mention lawan, lawan, like say na their brother...

instead make we yarn better.. make fuel price drop, make light stable, make we chop better... wetin concern me if d guy $10M.. make Nigeria better!

In a situation where the Committee uncovered fraud over N1 trillion, Lawan said it should be expected that the powerful cabal behind the high scale corruption in the oil sector would not only fight back but would fight dirty.

It's expected. I am surprised the so called evidence was not released when it could have helped the cause of the probe.

I wish to categorically deny that I or any member of the committee demanded and received any bribe from anybody in connection with the fuel subsidy probe and I believe this is evident from thorough and indepth manner the investigation was carried out and the all-encompassing recommendations produced therefrom as approved by the whole House.

Good. I am still at loss why the so called video has not been posted on Youtube for all to see and ascertain the authenticity of these claims and counter claims. Is this not the same man reported to have confessed to receiving bribe in what appeared to be a coordinated simultaneous media release ?

The general public is hereby reminded that during and after the investigations, we have severally raised alarm on pressures on us from different quarters. In particular, I wish to refer to the front page publication in the Leadership Weekend newspaper of 28th, April, 2012 captioned "Marketers offered subsidy committee plane-load of dollars" where we alerted the public that a marketer [/b]promised to fly in a jet loaded with US dollars which he "intended to share to both the House leadership and members of the Adhoc Committee" to influence the outcome of the report.

Lawan, this is not enough. You have to name the marketer.

The present mudslinging is not unexpected in view of the caliber of people whose actions or inactions were found wanting in the report. I am aware that in their desperation to discredit the report and divert the attention of the public from the real issues of large scale fraud in high places established in our report, [b]a video footage displaying a caricature of my person allegedly having a dealing with a marketer reminiscent of military ear when dignitaries were invited to the Villa to watch video clip of phantom coup involving Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is already in circulation.

Let them release the video. We want to watch it and see "things" for ourselves.

The clarification is necessary in order to clear all the insinuations being bandied about and more importantly to enable Government concentrate on the implementation of the report.

Good.

No doubt, the last has not been heard

That's pretty much obvious. Over to you, SSS, Otedola, release the video, date, time etc