Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
As the crisis between the Edo State government and the former governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki lingers over Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), the state house of assembly Ad hoc Committee set up to investigate the Museum and Radisson Hotel, said it has powers to issue arrest warrant on former Governor Godwin Obaseki and other invited persons for declining to appear before it.
Governor Monday Okpebholo’s request to the Assembly to probe funding and ownership of the projects including the extent of the state government N3.8bn investment in MOWAA and N28 billion in Radisson Hotel led to the Assembly’s setting up of the Adhoc Committee.
Though management of MOWAA had earlier declined to appear before the Committee, the Committee said it has powers to ask the Police to bring any individual before it to answer questions.
It stated that those declining to appear before it could not claim they were refused the right to fair hearing.
Chairman of the Committee, Addeh Isibor, who spoke at the resumed sitting of the Committee, said Obaseki and others sent letters through their lawyers stating reasons they declined the Committee’s invitation.
He said Obaseki cited lawsuits filed in various courts against MOWAA as reasons for his absence.
Angered by the action of Obaseki and others, Isibor said the Committee was on a fact finding and not to witch-hunt anybody.
He insisted that the Committee would submit its report based on fact.
“These gentlemen have unilaterally chosen to absolve themselves that there exist court cases regarding our sitting or issues under consideration.
“We know the position of the law. We are not dunces but cerebral people. We are constitutionally mandated to carry out investigation or hearing on any matter to which we have the power of appropriation.
“The mere filing of a suit in court cannot amount to a stay of proceeding. They ran to court after we commenced the public hearing.
“No judge can stop us from sitting. We will reach a decision on the matter. If you choose not to make yourself available, you cannot claim you were refused the right to fair hearing.
“It is more offensive that none of the SANs attached court processes to the letters. They know they rushed to court at midnight. These are empty letters.
“They want to stop this Committee from getting to the root of the matter. We reject the letters as lacking in merit. Edo Assembly is not a party to the suit.
“The Committee has powers to ask the Police to bring those concerns here. We have no letter stopping the Committee from completing its assignment”, Isibor said.
Aside from Obaseki, other persons invited by the Committee are a former Edo Finance Commissioner, Mr. Joseph Eboigbe, former Attorney General of Edo State, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, Managing Director, Tilbury House Nigeria Limited, Mr. Pramod Thorat, Project Manager of Hospitality Investment and Management Company (HIMC) Mr. Ugochukwu Anigbogu, Managing Director, Afrinvest Capital Limited, Managing Director, Meristem Trustees Limited and Managing Director, Emerging Africa Trustees Ltd