Posted by By BASHIR UMAR, Abuja on
The senate Tuesday said embattled Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello is neither in hiding nor missing even as she has continued to shun her legislative duties in the National Assembly for two consecutive weeks.
The senate Tuesday said embattled Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello is neither in hiding nor missing even as she has continued to shun her legislative duties in the National Assembly for two consecutive weeks.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) claimed it's been on the trail of the first daughter of ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo to answer charges in respect of N10million she allegedly collected as part of her share of the N300million unspent budget money of the Federal Ministry of Health.
Though the anti-graft agency claimed Senator Obasanjo-Bello has been in hiding to evade arrest and its summons, Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Ayogu Eze announced Tuesday that the Ogun Central lawmaker is within town.
Briefing newsmen after the senate plenary session, Senator Eze insisted that in spite of the hide and seek game between the EFCC and Iyabo Obasanjo for about two weeks, 'Iyabo is not guilty, as far as the Senate is concerned, because the Senate has never found her guilty on what she is being accused of committing."
Asked to explain why the senator has refused to show her face in the senate since EFCC declared her wanted, Senator Eze would not be specific except that 'if EFCC wants to see Iyabo, they should follow the proper channel of doing things, since this is a senate that believes in the rule of law."
On who or where to contact for her whereabouts, he said: 'I am not a lawyer, so I don't know where to direct them, they should better know who or where to go and get her."
Reminded about the Senate's mandate to Senator Kanti Bello last week to fish out Iyabo and present her to the Senate Tuesday, Senator Eze told reporters that the investigations by Kanti Bello 'is not yet over; he is still searching for her, and when he is through, we'll let you know."
Also reminded that his earlier assertion that 'Iyabo is not missing" could not tally with his claim that 'he (Kanti Bello) is still searching," the senator said the Senate Chief Whip would be in a better position to explain.
Asked to comment on the position of the Senate vis-à-vis the decision passed by the House of Representatives, that Iyabo should come out of her hiding to answer EFCC charges against her, Senator Eze simply said the 'House of Representatives members are entitled to their opinion, so they are on their own."
Speculations are, however, rife at the National Assembly that the embattled Senator has been hiding in the safe custody of the official residence of the Senate President, David Mark in Apo legislators' quarters, Abuja.
A source told Daily Sun that the Ogun state born senator had been sighted entering the residence 'about six days ago and since then she has never come out from that building."