August 9, 2023

The House of Representative has threatened to invoke its constitutional power on IPPIS, Budget Office and the Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) over failure to appear before it.

The threat was made by Rep. Yusuf Gagdi, Chairman, ad hoc committee investigating job racketeering and mismanagement of IPPIS in MDAs in Abuja on Wednesday.

Gagdi, said the committee was in a dilemma why IPPIS and budget office were not present at the meeting.

The committee subsequently summoned the Accountant General of the Federation to bring along the IPPIS officer before the committee on Aug. 10, adding that any further attempt to run away would be resisted.

He also queried why Haruna Kolo, the prime suspect in FCC job racketeering saga did not appear before the committee after he was asked to present himself today.

“I also don’t know why Kolo is not coming back to appear before this committee, he seems to have absconded. I will sign a letter to AMCON to produce Kolo on Thursday.

“It is better he listen to us unless he is acting a script and selling lies to us, he should come so we can interact with him. We owe everybody the duty of care.

“We need him by 10 a. m tomorrow, the Clerk of the committee should call AMCON on phone, tell them to produce Kolo or do they know what Kolo is hiding, ” he asked

He said, “AMCON must come here, we must be accountable to Nigeria.”

He further said Kolo should appear tomorrow or else the committee would exercise its constitutional power, adding that he is a staff of AMCON and unless if he wants to loss his job and miss his freedom.

According to him, Kolo cannot come and tell us he collected money, linked it to personality and not willing to substantiate the claim. He has been accused of working in three different institutions.

Meanwhile, Mr. Abdulrman Ibrahim, a witness in the ongoing investigation on job racketeering has faulted claimed by some commissioners in FCC that they had not been given any slot since they were appointed.

Ibrahim, a beneficiary of the job racketeering and the Personal Assistant to commissioner, representing, Taraba said, ” all the commissioners were given slots.

According to him, they were given two slot each per state. there was an interview to that effect and other processes followed in 2023. A letter of employment was given to me after the interview.

Also, Mr. Yisha’u Gambo, the driver to the commissioner, representing Taraba who spoke in Hausa said he collected N2 million for Kolo, which was paid by a job seekers.

Kolo met me and said I should talk to people that need employment so that he could talk to them. Then he called me to bring one person and I said there are many that have been talking to him that they are willing to buy slot.

He said after a mm month, Kolo called me that there is another slot which N1.5 million.

The investigation continues tomorrow as witnesses and the affected MDAs has been ordered to appear before it. (NAN)