•Speaker supports Jega’s request for N71b
MORE than 40 civil society organisations have concluded plans to stage a mass rally this week to mandate the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri, to make public her findings on the alleged misappropriation of N7 billion capital votes for the House of Representatives by the Speaker Dimeji Bankole-led executive.
Eleven members of the House, under the aegis of the Progressives Group had last month written a petition to the anti-graft agency to conduct an investigation into what they called a monumental fraud by Bankole and nine others, before they were suspended.
The Nigerian Compass also gathered that no fewer than 200 prominent individuals and politicians have endorsed the protest, which is tagged “mother of all rallies” and will be taken to the doorsteps of the federal lawmakers.
It was learnt that during the rally, the organisers, who have already mobilised thousands of students, youths, workers and traders, are to start shouting anti-Bankole slogans, while advancing towards the Senate wing of the National Assembly complex where they hope to meet Senate President David Mark and submit a letter to him.
Their argument is that since Bankole has been accused, they would not grant him the honour of receiving them thereby making him seat like a judge in his own case.
The protesters also planned to storm the premises call on Mrs. Waziri to tell Nigerians the true situation of the N2.3 billion car scam, which the EFCC has been investigating since last year, without revealing its findings.
It was also confirmed that the protest, which will be the second after the one staged by several women to condemn the assault on a female member of the suspended 11, Doris Uboh (PDP Delta), is to represent the grave concern majority of Nigerians now have on what might be happening to the dual investigations.
Sources said that during the rally, well known Nigerians, including leaders of opposition parties, activists and human rights activists, would lead their members to the Abuja office of the EFCC, where an ultimatum would be handed down to Mrs. Waziri to prosecute all the suspects without further wasting of time.
Another letter is expected to be submitted to President Goodluck Jonathan through the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, demanding to know the former’s roles in the current saga.
The choice of this week for the rally, according to another source, is to bell the cat before the House proceeds on a two-month vacation that it is planning to begin on Thursday.
A member of the Progressives confirmed to our correspondent yesterday that the rally would be another opportunity for Nigerians to ask the EFCC what it is still doing with its findings.
He also added that Nigerians seemed to have reached a point where they can no longer watch without taking a lead role in the whole mess in the lower chamber. “Nigerians seem to be tired of unfulfilled promises by the EFCC; what they want is the truth. It is now beyond intra-party or internal affairs of the House. At this stage, it has become a business of all and they can no longer seat down and look,” he added.
While receiving copies of the comprehensive petition in her office on June 21, this year, the EFCC boss had hailed the courage of the suspended lawmakers and promised Nigerians that her commission would soon get to the roots of all the allegations raised.
Meanwhile, having been alerted of the impending rally, security has been beefed up at the major entrances of the Three-Arm Zone in a bid to stop the protesters from gaining entry into the area.
Besides, the Nigerian Compass can confirm that Bankole’s men, in conjunction with top security officials, yesterday began moves to abort the rally.
While routine checks on vehicles entering the premises had been redoubled, it was learnt that the number of visitors to the premises has been cut by half.
But, organisers have vowed that no amount of intimidation would stop them from embarking on the protest, which they described as timely for the nation, if its democracy must be sustained.
Meanwhile, the Speaker yesterday threw his support behind the request of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, for N71billion to conduct credible elections in the country next year.
The Speaker spoke yesterday at the Presidential/ VIP Lounge of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos while responding to questions from journalists on his position on the request.
Bankole, who noted that the National Assembly has just passed a budget of N4. 6 trillion, said the request by the INEC boss for N71 billion is just 1.5 per cent of the total national budget which is
not too much a request to have credible elections and move the nation forward.
“We just passed a N4.6 trillion budget. N72 billion is less than what? And what is one per cent of N4.6 trillion? N46 billion. Now, this gentleman is asking for 1.5 per cent of the budget for us to have credible, free and fair elections. I think he should have it and we should move our nation forward” Bankole said.
On the timing of the elections, the Speaker said the INEC chairman should be left to handle the situation “the way he wants it because he is the one in-charge”.
By Julius Toba, Abuja & Biodun Akomolafe
