From Kemi Yesufu, Abuja

The House of Representatives has threatened to issue a warrant of arrest on MTN’s  Chief Executive Officer, Ferdinand Moolman should he fail to appear before it a second time.

Though formally invited to a hearing of the House Committee on Communications over the fine for a breach of the nation’s laws on Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) registration, which had been reduced to N780 billion, Moolman, reportedly didn’t show up.

Also summoned were Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF ), Abubakar Malami, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to explain their roles in the process leading to the negotiation and subsequent payment of the N50 billion down payment for the fine, but none of them turned up.

In a letter sent to it, the  South African company stated it would not make any comment on the matter and directed the committee to make enquiries from government agencies involved in the issue.

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MTN also urged the committee to stop its intervention and allow the matter to be amicably settled.

adding that ongoing negotiations should be given the confidentiality it deserves.

The representative of the telecommunication company at the hearing, Austin Iyasere, a Corporate  Affairs officer, further angered the committee with his refusal to give attention to the proceeding. He was sent out of the meeting after refusing to heed the committee’s advise to stop fiddling with his phone and concentrate on the meeting.

Citing Sections 88 and 89 of the constitution, the Saheed Fijabi-led committee said, “MTN and, indeed, all those invited by the House should know that the National Assembly is governed by the constitution.  He said: “When we invite heads of agencies, it is expected that they will appear in person. We expect the CBN governor to be here as well as the AGF and the Chief of Staff to the President…”