…as Reps summon Chairman, 37 Commissioners to appear tomorrow

By Gift Chapi-Odekina

There was drama on Tuesday at the investigative hearing of the House of Representatives Adhoc Committee on job racketeering and gross mismanagement of Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) in Nigeria, when a Commission of the Federal Character Commission representing Delta State, Moses Anaughe, accused the chairman, Dr. Muheeda Dankaka of lying that she had a medical appointment with her doctor while she was currently sitting in her office as the investigative hearing was ongoing.

According to Anaughe, this was her usual character of avoiding invitations by the National Assembly on job racketeering which is is guilty of.

He added that this was not the first time such was happening, as her usual habit was to send commissioners to represent her at investigative hearings.

Another commissioner representing Taraba state, Armayau Abubakar, who represented the chairman with a written letter from her stating that she was unavoidably absent due to a medical appointment with her doctor, speaking before the committee, appealed that the Commission be given a new date to come with the requirements documents as requested by the commission; and the Chairman of the adhoc committee, Rep.Yusif Gagdi moved that their request be granted.

But when the Commissioner from Delta came in, he stood to introduce himself and said that the Chairman Dankaka was currently in the office and not in the hospital but in the office as at 12 noon when he left the office.

“I want to stress that this is her usual excuse for various committees that invited her.

“I should be on record. If she wants to collect 10 percent of employment she insists that the Chief Executive must come one on one with her. Why is she not here? She must appear before the committee and giver stewardship for 3 years”, Anaughe stated.

The Committee rescinded its resolution as early moved, as Rep. Gaza Gbuefi move for the resolution to be rescinded, after which the commissioners present were put under oath.

The Committee Chairman therefore ordered that the Chairman Dankaka, and the 27 commissioners appear before the Committee by 11am on Wednesday July 27, 2023, unfailingly.

Armayau Abubakar, trying to insist that the commissioner was not in the office but on medical appointment, the Chairman of the committee responded in anger insisting that the Taraba commissioner lied.

“People are listening, Nigerians are watching, I can confirm to you that you are a lier. She either come her or compromise her office.

“She had the right to go see her doctor and return back to the office bit refuse to appear before the committee, then why did she take the appointment? He stated.

The committee to this end adjourned sitting to tomorrow by 10:am.