CSO asks lawmaker to recuse self from panel probing PenCom

Oluwole Oke, chairman house of representatives committee on procurement, has been asked to recuse himself from a joint panel probing alleged fraud in the National Pension Commission (PenCom) over corruption allegations.

In May, the lower legislative chamber mandated the joint committees of procurement and pension to probe alleged procurement irregularities in the organisation.

There were reports of the mismanagement of N33 billion under the watch of Aisha Dahir-Umar, acting director-general of PenCom.

In a letter dated May 14, the Dynamic Patriotic Citizens Foundation, a civil society organisation (CSO), alleged that Oke does business with some companies linked to PenCom.

The CSO wondered why it took the panel about a year to commence probe.

“Hon. Oluwole Oke as the house committee chairman on procurement he is said to have very close links with several companies, including DEBRA K Limited, with which he does business and contracts at PENCOM,” Tolu Babaleye and Sunday Williams, the organisation’s chairman and executive secretary, said.

“Curiously, the companies were not listed and neither him nor PENCOM has refuted these grievous allegations in writing and in the media since it was made public. Hon. Wole Oke needs to tell the public here whether he has interest in the companies or not.

“We are particularly concerned that Hon. Oluwole Oke was specifically and publicly accused in the media by his friend and colleague, Hon. Johnson Agbonayinma, of bringing the Acting PENCOM DG, Aisha Umar, to his (Agbonayinma’s) office to corruptly influence him to scuttle and end the probe by this same house of representatives on the missing N33 billion naira pension funds.”

They said Oke has no “moral ground” to continue sitting on this panel, adding that it is curious that the probe commenced about two months to the end of the eight assembly.

“We demand that after Hon. Wole Oke has recused himself, that the Hon. Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, should compel the Acting PENCOM 06, Mrs. Aisha Dahir-Umar to submit the requested documents to the Committee to avoid her bringing this Honourable House into further disrepute before the Nigerian public and the international community,” the letter read.