AMID calls for the prosecution of the former speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Patricia Etteh, over the controversial N628 million scam in the House, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, says it will not shield the erstwhile speaker from prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, or any other anti-corruption agency, if it is established that she has a case to answer on the alleged scam.
The ruling party, yesterday, predicated its position on the fact that how each of the nation�s anti-corruption agency should pursue its mandate was well defined by the law setting it up.
Etteh, who was forced to resign as speaker, last Wednesday, had been adjudged as not following due process in the award of the House N628 million contracts by the Idoko panel which investigated the contracts.
But the PDP leadership exonerated her and the former House leadership of any wrong doing on the contracts award.
Amid the stalemate, the former speaker was ousted in a move spearheaded by the Hon. Farouk Lawan-led Integrity Group in the House.
Although the Idoko panel report was never considered by the House plenary sitting, there have been calls that Etteh and the former House leadership be probed and tried by the EFCC on the alleged contracts scan.
The north-west chairman of the PDP, Dr. Haliru Mohammed, who disclosed the position of the party after the zonal executive committee (ZEC) of the party held at the General Hassan Usman Katsina House, Kawo, Kaduna, yesterday, said Etteh and the former House leadership would not be shielded by the PDP if the EFCC or any other anti-corruption agency believed they have a case to answer on the alleged contracts scam.
He also announced that the positions of the deputy national chairman, national financial secretary and deputy national treasurer which were allocated to the North West had been shared.
Mohammed said that while Sokoto/Kebbi/Zamfara states will produce the deputy national chairman, Kaduna/Katsina will produce the deputy national treasurer. Each of the areas within the zone would also produce an ex-officio member.
Speaking during an interview with newsmen after the meeting, Mohammed said the PDP�s position on the alleged House scam had always been that each arm of the government should follow due process in its assignments.
His words: �Our position is same as that of the national body. We have got laws in this country. We have our constitution. Each arm of the government should pursue its activities based on the constitution. When this crisis started, the PDP at the national level said that due process be observed. It was observed, members have voted and results of the election were announced and that was due process.
The issue of law enforcement and anti-corruption, there are agencies that have been put in place. As a party, we are not going to tell them what to do or how to go about their duties. We believe in due process. Let each agency go about its duties of enforcing laws according to the constitution.�
He, however, commended the House for resolving the crisis without influence from any quarters. Mohammed who said that leaders of both pro-Etteh and anti-Etteh groups are from the north west expressed happiness that there were no cases of people canvassing to unseat them from their positions throughout the crisis unlike what happened in other geo-political zones of the country. �Both leaders of the pro-Etteh and anti-Etteh groups are from here. We held the key that led to the resolution of the crisis… It shows the level of discipline and love we have for our party.
It was only in our zone that people did not canvass to unseat the leadership of the House… unlike what happened in other zones. We thank the whole House for resolving the crisis the way they did. The new speaker (Dimeji Bankole) is the speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria, not the speaker of the PDP or of pro and anti-Etteh groups. He should ensure that he unites everybody for the progress of the country.”
Nov42007