*As minister feigns ignorance of invitation

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA — THE Joint Committees of Information Technology Communication, ICT and Telecommunications in the House of Representatives, yesterday, queried the Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, for the comment he made on the suspension of the Director-General of National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Peter Jack, over an alleged misconduct.

Adebayo-Shittu

The minister, who appeared before the joint committees, said: “I do not know the reason why I am before this committee, I am blank about this meeting.”

He further appealed that he had an international conference to attend, begging to take his leave.

Breaching further rules and conventional practice of the parliament, Shittu, who said he was a lawmaker at the Oyo State House of Assembly from 1979 to 1983, said he had no information whatsoever why he has invited..

He said: “My name is Abdulraheem Adebayo Shittu. I’m almost blank as to why I’m here. I don’t have information why I was asked to come. And I’m hoping that members will tell me. As I speak, there’s a conference at Transcorp where I’m to represent Nigeria in the midst of many international bodies and foreign players.

“I also have another meeting with Mr President and some foreign investors. And as you all know, Nigeria lacks the necessary capacity to fund investment in the ICT sector, so I’m appealing that I have all the questions so I can go and look at them, get necessary information and provide answers as appropriately on another date.”

His excuses and comments irked members of the committee who told him that he erred by saying he was blank on a meeting that was properly communicated to his ministry.

Chairman of the Committee on ICT, Mohammed Onawo, however, told him that “this committee is mandated by the House to look into the perceived injustice done to the D-G of NITDA.”

He added that the Clerk of the committee had told him that the letter was personally handed over to him.

Members of the committee, Wole Oke, Tajudeen Yusuf, Linus Okorie and others speaking separately expressed their displeasure at the minister’s statement, saying: “For him to say that he doesn’t know why he is here is an insult to the National Assembly.

“Mr. Minister knows why he is here, Mr. Chairman may give him another opportunity to express himself. We will not be part of anything that will undermine the National Assembly.”

On the allegation that he was not informed of the reason he came, co-chairman of the committee, Hon, Saheed Akinade Fijabi from Oyo displayed a letter sent to the minister’s office and which was received and duly acknowledged with a copy of it sent back to the committee.

Linus Okorie also frowned at the liberty taken by the minister to make his case when he was only invited to introduce himself.

He said: “The committee chairman was supposed to have opened the discussion before the minister would have responded by making his appeal as appropriate.”

He expressed dismay that the minister would feign ignorance of the reason for his presence, adding that either the minister was playing pranks on the committee which is tantamount to disrespecting the National Assembly, or some people in his office were simply being incompetent as to keep him informed.

Kehinde Odeneye concurred with Linus Okorie but pleaded with his colleagues to give the minister another opportunity to prepare and then brief the committee properly.

Minister apologises

At this point, the minister, realising the full weight of his indiscretion, admitted receiving the letter of invitation, saying: “I want to apologise for any misconception. A letter was brought to my office yesterday with a heading relating to the suspension of the DG NITDA.

“I liaised with my Permanent Secretary to get back to the committee’s Clerk so as to work out the possibility of re-adjusting the date, given the number of engagements I’m to have with several groups on behalf of the President.”