From: Kemi Yesufu, Abuja
A mild drama played out, on Wednesday, in the House of Representatives, as Hon. Uchechuku Nnam-Obi, the sponsor of a motion on the need for the Federal Government to submit reports to the National Assembly on recovered Funds and Asset,” walked out in anger after the motion was withdrawn without his prior knowledge.
The decision of the House to drop the motion, the 9th on the Order Paper for Wednesday’s business was met with surprise among lawmakers as the action went contrary to the tradition of the Green Chamber.
When contacted by Daily Sun, Hon. Nnam-Obi who is representing, Ahaoda-West/Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Federal Constituency of Rivers State, declined comment.
Though the motion was read by Speaker Yakubu Dogara, rather than the sponsor’s move for the withdrawal by himself, it was the Acting Chairman, Rules and Business Committee, Bode Ayorinde, who was asked to proceed and he promptly moved for the withdrawal of the motion without giving any reason.
The Speaker obliged him and ruled in favour of the withdrawal.
Moments after the Speaker hit the gavel, signaling that he had ruled on the motion, Hon. Nnam-Obi left the chambers without any protest.
The lawmaker, in his debate as contained in the Order Paper, said it had become necessary for the Federal Government to furnish the National Assembly with full details of the recovered loot and what it has been used for, owing to keenness with Nigerians have followed the anti-corruption war.
Besides the 30 days ultimatum he proposed for the Presidency to submit the list of recoveries to the National Assembly, Nnam-Obi urged the Federal Ministry of Justice to ensure that quarterly reports on the various amounts and assets recovered are submitted to the National Assembly.
The lawmaker commended the Federal Government for confronting corruption in an effective manner, noting that in order to ensure proper monitoring of recovered assets and funds, a Presidential Committee on Recovered Assets was set up under the leadership of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, with the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, the Department of State Service (DSS) and Presidential Advisory Committee on War Against Corruption as members of the committee.
“We however have to take cognisance of the fact that considering the importance of the recovered funds to the revival of the nation’s economy and the interest being shown by many Nigerians in the matter, there is a need for the Federal Government to submit to the National Assembly Reports on the amount and assets so far recovered and how they are being ploughed back into the economy,” he noted.
Committees on Special Duties and Financial Crimes were to be mandated to ensure implementation as part of the proposed resolution.
Despite being dropped unceremoniously, the motion could still be presented in the future as it was not debated and put on negative.