Obono-Obla finally bears mind on WAEC certificate scandal … Read details here

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Nyok|31 July 2018 
Yesterday, Chief Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla the Chairman of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for Recovery of Public Property, Monday, said the West African Examination Council (WAEC) school certificate scandal against him that has lasted for over a month now is a function of his travails with the National Assembly comprising the Senate and the House of Representatives who are on a mission to smear his reputation NegroidHaven can report authoritatively. This so-called smear campaign, according to Obla is borne out of the need to frustrate his official activities bordering on investigating some members of the National Assembly. 


For Obla, the House of Representatives can't investigate an allegation of certificate scandal, the Nigerian Police reserves that right. Obla argued that 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; and thus queries why his matter was so different. He expressed himself via a social media thread he titled, 'My travails with the National Assembly':
 
His words, '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.  When I realized that the objective of the so called Investigation was to smear and ridicule me, I challenged the power of the Committee to investigate my Panel as well as investigate my educational qualifications. 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. 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 RAPC 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 “!
'That is my story!
'I feel very bad and sad that the  National Assembly would descend 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!'
Recall that Obla has been accused of forging his sibling WAEC certificate, that his original certificate, he did not pass English Language as a subject on the case. 

Nyok
Is the Blogger-in-Chief, Editor-in-Chief & Publisher of NegroidHaven