Osinbajo, House at war over N2.5b fraud

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•Presidency uncovers plot to frame Vice President
•VP may not appear before House ad hoc panel

The Presidency is not taking kindly to a recent invitation by
the House of Representatives to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to
appear before an ad hoc committee.

The Ali Isa-led committee wants Osinbajo to appear before it on
why six directors of NEMA, who were implicated in a N2.5billion
fraud, were suspended.

The Presidency, The Nation not TheNigerialawyer gathered last
night, considers the invitation an affront to its anti-corruption
campaign and a plot to frame up Osinbajo ahead of the 2019
polls.

Sources hinted that Osinbajo may not appear before the House Ad
Hoc Committee.

The VP statutorily heads the Governing Board of NEMA which,
about a week ago, suspended six directors of the agency following a
report from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC).

The affected directors are the Director of Finance and Accounts,
Akinbola Hakeem Gbolahan; Ag. Director, Special Duties, Mr. Umesi
Emenike; Director, Risk Reduction, Mallam Alhassan Nuhu; Pilot
in-charge Air Ambulance and Aviation Unit, Mr. Mamman Ali Ibrahim;
the Chief Maintenance Officer, Mr. Ganiyu Yunusa Deji; and the
Director of Welfare, Mr. Kanar Mohammed.

An investigation by The Nation revealed that the Presidency was
shocked by the decision of the committee to summon the Vice
President over the suspension of the directors.

It suspects that the move could be a smokescreen to frame him up
ahead of next year’s polls.

“The Presidency felt slighted by the attitude of the Ad Hoc
committee to the Vice President when it is obvious that the
suspension of the directors was based on an investigation conducted
by the EFCC,” a well placed source said.

“It is more irritating to the government that the suspended
employees went to report their employer (the Board of NEMA) to the
Ad Hoc Committee of the House.

“The Presidency sees the directors’ action as an attempt to use
the House to cover up their tracks. This is a case of corruption
fighting back.

“This is the same VP that has been in the vanguard of smothering
the fragile relationship between the Executive and the
Legislature.

“Ordinarily, the VP enjoys constitutional immunity and if there
was no more to the issue, the Ad Hoc Committee should not have
summoned Osinbajo.”

The government source said the VP might not appear before the Ad
Hoc Committee because a pre-determined agenda is being suspected by
the presidency.

“There is a strong suspicion that some forces are hell bent to
rubbish the Vice President ahead of 2019 polls,” the source
said.

“The VP personally felt slighted from the security reports
available to him.”

The EFCC had submitted a March 1, 2018 report on alleged fraud
in NEMA to the Vice President.

According to the EFCC, the investigation bordered on “alleged
case of conspiracy, abuse of office, misappropriation and diversion
of public funds reported to the office of the Vice-President,
Federal Republic of Nigeria against the former Director General of
the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and others
forwarded to the commission for discreet investigation.”

Some of the alleged sharp practices uncovered by the
EFCC are:

Whereabouts of N166m out of N285m realized from the
commercialization of NEMA’s air ambulance;
Alleged short-change of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) with
N354, 900, 105. 24
N238million NEMA cash placed in Fixed Deposit by a director
Interest on Fixed Deposit diverted single-handedly by a
director
Some directors have about 5 to 20 accounts
NEMA funds moved into personal accounts of directors
Frivolous emoluments claims that were wrongly processed by
Directors and some officials of the agency.
About N66m out of N280m meant for displaced traditional rulers in
the Northeast still unaccounted for
Curious deposit of suspicious funds into domiciliary accounts of
top directors
The report says in part: “From the investigation carried out so
far, officials could not account for funds transferred from NEMA
account to their personal accounts.

“Moreover, the funds were being withdrawn in cash and in some
cases transferred to family members. Also, it was discovered that
some of these funds were placed in fixed deposit; while both the
principal and interest were withdrawn in cash by the depositor.

“Furthermore, the issue of companies incorporated by the
officials of NEMA who are Public Servants is against the Public
Service Rules. This is more so as the companies are active and
still receiving funds in some cases from NEMA.

“There were frivolous emoluments claims that were wrongly
processed by Directors and some officials of the agency.

“Against this background, EFCC is of the opinion that placing
the officials involved under suspension will assist the successful
completion of our investigation. “ This is the only way the
commission can have unfettered access to all the necessary
documents that will aid our investigation. It is therefore
recommended that the Officials who are already indicted in the case
be placed on suspension pending the conclusion of the
investigation.

“”The aspect of fake IDP camps and relief materials are still
being investigated. Investigation is still on-going and further
developments will be communicated.”