Member representing Ideato North/South Federal Constituency of Imo State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere has debunked allegations of giving $1.7 million to the House leadership to secure the chairmanship of the Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream).
Ugochinyere, in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by his Chief of Staff, Ernest Njesi, said only an ill-informed and childish mind would believe that he induced the Speaker to head the committee.
The lawmaker described the allegation as a “false and nonsensical belated attempts by individuals with vested interests who wants to provoke and divert attention from endemic corruption in the oil and gas industry.”
He added that the attempt to drag Speaker Abbas Tajudeen and his name into a “Hollywood fiction story” was dead on arrival, saying those who aided the stories one way or other, including smear campaigns will face the wrath of the law.
Passing a vote of confidence on the decision of the House leadership to dissolve the joint committee investigating challenges in the oil sector, Ugochinyere expressed trust in the Speaker’s decision, adding that if setting up an ad-hoc committee to carry out the investigation was better, then he agreed with the decision.
Ugochinyere said, “The allegation is a belated nonsensical, childish and unprofessional fiction work aimed at creating division in the House to aide some criminal elements who are long overdue for prison to think they can escape justice which is impossible as the demand for transparency and reform is a task that will be pushed.
“Only a childish mind will believe the poorly scripted work that Speaker was given 1.7m dollars for something that does not worth a penny. We will not dignify the cheap attempt to distract and divert attention from the House investigation on the corruption from our oil industry.
“Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu’s all-inclusive administration style has kept the 10th House stable in the last one year. Their approach to governance has played a pivotal role in fostering a sense of inclusivity within the parliament. They embraced a collaborative approach that transcends party lines, fostering an environment where all voices are not only heard but also valued.”
The lawmaker maintained that he was not bothered by the “disjointed attacks and smear campaign against our Hon. Speaker, and the House leadership.”
He described the allegation to the efforts of unprofessional corrupt elements to pollute the media space in a desperate bid to seek cover from the inevitable that is coming, saying, “I remain focused in my fight for good governance. (Leadership)