By Our Reporter
The House of Representatives’ Ad-hoc Committee investigating the award of Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) 245 to Malabu Oil has formally invited former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear before the House to explain his role in the $1 billion business.
At the centre of this deal is also the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, who the Federal Government said it was planning to extradite in connection with the Malabu Oil deal.
The House Committee said in the interest of thoroughness, natural justice and fair play, Jonathan’s view ought to be sought on the saga.
Chairman of the House Committee on Downstream, Rasak Atunwa, said while interacting with reporters on Wednesday, July 5, in Abuja on the outcome of the investigation by his committee that Jonathan had been invited to come and shed some light on the matter.
He said the invitation of the former President will determine the next steps to be taken by the committee, adding that the committee had conducted extensive investigation into the OPL 245 issue.
His words: “Jonathan was the President at the material time the ministers brokered the so-called resolution agreement that led to the allegation of $1 billion diversion of funds and Jonathan’s name featured in the proceedings initiated by the Public Prosecutor of Milan in Italy.
“A UK Court judgement in relation to an application to return part of the money being restrained accused the Jonathan administration of not having acted in the best interest of Nigeria in relation to the deal.
“The Attorney-General of the Federation at the material time, Mohammed Bello Adoke, who, of course, has been charged in relation to the case by the EFCC, has recently instituted proceedings in court. He pleaded that all his actions were as instructed by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“Accordingly, pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution, the committee has decided to request that former President Goodluck Jonathan to give evidence to the committee, as to his role in the matter. The secretariat will write him asking for his response and submissions.”
However, Atunwa said the former president was at liberty to make a written submission to the committee or otherwise, noting that the former president’s response would determine the next line of action to be taken by the Committee.
“Section 89 of the Constitution requires that we ask for the evidence; we’ve asked him for evidence and he must give evidence, we have asked him to give his response and submission.
“A matter entirely for him is, he may desire to send us a written submission, and we consider every written submission. We take it one step at a time.
“The normal proceeding for a committee hearing investigating such matter is to take a written submission and whatever comes out of that will have to be decided at the committee level,” Atunwa explained.
Meanwhile, it would be recalled that the matter already with the EFCC ran into a hitch last month when the prosecution could not bring Adoke to court as promised.
The Federal Government said it is making all necessary arrangements to extradite to Nigeria, Adoke, to face charges of fraud on the Malabu oil deal.