By CrossRiverWatch Admin
The Special Assistant to President Mhhammadu Buhari on prosecution, Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla has said that the probe on his alleged forgery of his SSCE certificate by a committee of the House of Representatives is part of a scheme to smear his image.
Obono-Obla who is also the chairman of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel For Recovery of Public Property took to his Facebook page to make the allegations claiming that the lawmakers were not happy that his panel was investigating ranking members of the national assembly.
“For the past two months the House of Representatives Committee constituted to investigate the legality of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel For Recovery of Public Property have been on the forefront of a smear campaign to the effect that I forged my School Certificate,” Obla wrote on Monday.
He said the realisation led to his decision to challenge the power of the committee to investigate the panel and his educational qualifications.
He stated that:”The case is currently in the Federal High Court of justice. The House of Representatives has no power to investigate my educational qualifications. Forgery is a criminal offence hence only the Nigerian Police holds statutory power to investigate and prosecute.”
Continuing, Obla said: “The House of Representatives has no power to investigate the crime of forgery. This is a hatchet job masterminded by some members of the national assembly who are under investigation by my panel (Special Presidential Investigation Panel for Recovery of Public Property).
“The intention is to smear, embarrass and ridicule me .The Rules of the House of Representatives says if a matter is the subject of litigation such a matter is to be put on suspension pending the hearing and conclusion of the case. So why is this matter so different? The whole thing is a red herring. It shows the impunity of the highest degree and intimidation to thwart my job as Chairman of the Property Recovery Panel.
“All the members of the House committee were lackeys of Senator Ekweremadu and the leadership of the national assembly. They were determined to intimidate and rubbish me because I dare to investigate some ranking senators who have illegally acquired assets that are beyond their earnings. So the recommendation of the Committee is unconstitutional and of no effect. The House cannot constitute itself into a Court of Law . The House cannot be the accuser, prosecutor and Judge all rolled into one.
“It is a classical case of witch hunting, such as never seen in the annals of legislative history in Nigeria.The Chairman of the Committee and indeed all the members were R-APC and PDP and they have now defected to PDP. The Chairman of the House Committee even suggested that I would be severely dealt with because I don’t have a ‘god father'”
Also, Obla said he felt bad that the lawmakers descended to, “such a despicable level of witch hunting a humble public servant who is determined to do his job without fear nor favour. It is such a huge disappointment!”
CrossRiverWatch had reported that the West African Examinations Council had told the committee that the certificate presented by Mr. Obono-Obla has been altered.
In his response, Obono-Obla had described the lawmakers action as idle and grand frivolity.