Posted by From AMOS DUNIA, Abuja on
The Senate Joint Committee, investigating the activities of past administration in the Federal Capital Territory, has disowned the content of an interim report published in some newspapers, saying it was only a draft submitted to its members for deliberation and adoption.
The Senate Joint Committee, investigating the activities of past administration in the Federal Capital Territory, has disowned the content of an interim report published in some newspapers, saying it was only a draft submitted to its members for deliberation and adoption.
The committee washed its hands off the report, just as its Chairman, Senator Abubakar Danso Sodangi, told the Senate, at plenary on Tuesday, that what was before his committee was a draft document circulated to members for their inputs and approval.
A press statement issued by the committee's secretary, Mr. Lawal Duduyemi, said the alleged interim report did not exist in any form and, therefore, could not be said to be a report let alone being a Senate resolution, since it had not been considered and approved.
The committee stated that it was aware that some persons who were to appear before it over complaints lodged against them, had been applying unorthodox means to stop the public hearing at all costs but did not succeed.
'The committee members remained focused, unperturbed and committed to public interest. Now that the report is being awaited, they have adopted another dubious and uncharitable means to discredit the workings of the committee. They will never succeed," Duduyemi said.
In his motion on the floor of the Senate, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Sodangi, said the committee members were working to ensure that they presented an approved full or interim report after inputs had been made by senators.
'What is in circulation is not our document. All those documents that are being circulated and printed are not from us, did not emanate from us, nobody signed, not even our clerk. So, I will crave the indulgence of the Senate leadership in particular for the embarrassment and we will do all things possible within the week or within the shortest possible time to file our report that will be debated by you, for our recommendations to be accepted by you or otherwise," Senator Sodangi said.
He, therefore, tendered an apology to the Senate for the embarrassment the reports might have caused, adding that the committee would investigate the matter from both the secretariat and other sources of possible leakage or theft of document.
'This matter is not controversial but an embarrassment to the Senate leadership, to us and to everybody. This kind of uncharitable and unorthodox means that the people who are to appear before us have been engaging in will not deter us and I believe that it will not poison your mind. Reason with us. It's part of the game," Senator Sodangi said.
In his comment on the development, President of the Senate, David Mark, stated that he was equally surprised that press report said the Senate leadership was trying to doctor the report of the committee, which was yet to get to it.
'I have not seen the report at all and nobody had briefed me and nobody had briefed anybody in the leadership. So that was just a mere fabrication, for whatever reason. Be that as it may, I think you should please find out how your report was leaked to the press. It's serious enough. They should give us the source. When you ask for the Freedom of Information, it is for all of us. Now we reserve the right to know how they got that information," Senator Mark said