Rt. Hon. Uyi Igbe, Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Majority Leader, Philip Shaibu and Foly Ogedengbe, Chief Whip of the House have been detained by authorities of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja.
meanwhile the Nigerian OBSERVER reports that the Lawmakers had last Monday at Plenary session disclosed that they have already received letters of invitation from the Commission to appear before it on Wednesday, October 15, 2014.
It would be recalled that the crisis that bedeviled the assembly started since June 9, 2014 and was last two weeks heightened, following the attack on the PDP lawmaker, Momoh Abdulrazak, representing Etsako West (II) in the House.
In a press briefing at the legislators’ quarters on Thursday, Kabir Adjolo, House Committee Chairman on Information said the lawmakers who were at the Commission’s office were however detained over alleged forgery of Abdulrazak Momoh’s signature during the impeachment of the former Deputy Speaker, Festus Ebea.
Adjoto who described the action of the anti-graft agency as laughable noted that it was degrading that it has reduced itself to mere involving in signature forgery case that is ordinarily meant for Police.
He however added that the lawmakers would be compelled to mobilize one million man-march to the Commission office if the lawmakers were not released within the next few hours.
He also disclosed that the Speaker of the House who collapsed twice at the agency’s office was denied access to medical treatment as well as the Majority Leader who was bleeding profusely as a result of the removal of the bandage that was used to protect a deep cut sustained in his palm when the APC Lawmakers were attacked by suspected thugs last Saturday.
According to him, you were all aware that last week, there was an attack on the legislators quarters and Philip Shaibu sustained gunshot wounds during the incident.
The Speaker was wounded, including the Chief Whip, Foly Ogedengbe whose residence was seriously vandalized.
“The three principal officers were wounded. EFCC arrested them, not minding their health conditions.
“We were reliably informed this morning (yesterday) that the Speaker of the House collapsed twice. Philip is bleeding profusely and they are being denied medical attention.
“As we speak, the reason for their arrest is simple. The EFCC said they forged the signature of Abdulrazak Momoh when the former Deputy Speaker; Festus Ebea was impeached.
“Our concern is this; when does the EFCC becomes an agency to investigate alleged forge of signature? When the forgery of signature become a financial crime. Impeachment of either Mr.
Speaker or Deputy Speaker, this is purely an internal affair of Edo State House of Assembly. EFCC has no business whatsoever to do with this.
“We are surprised that EFCC can reduce itself to investigating a crime that has already been spelt out. It is a criminal offence to forge signature and the penalty has also been spelt out in the criminal code. EFCC is not set up to investigate forgery of signature that it has reduced itself to. It is most unfortunate,” he said.
Adjoto however posited that the information available to the lawmakers revealed that the arrest and the detention of the legislators was orchestrated by the Leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He also alleged that the Edo State leadership of PDP are meeting with EFCC in Abuja and that President Goodluck Jonathan who was aware of the happenings has given directive to the agency that the three Edo Lawmakers should be charged to court and remanded indefinitely.
Adjoto however, appealed to Nigerians to call to order the so called “agents of PDP”, noting that the anti-graft agency was set up to clean up the financial system in the country.
He gave a profile of cases of financial crimes that have been recently committed in the country by some personalities that were to be investigated by the Commission.
Meanwhile, The NIGERIAN OBSERVER gathered as at press time yesterday that the Principal officers have been released. Details will be made available later.
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