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The Senate wing of the National Assembly witnessed a bit of drama on Wednesday when two lawyers, Oladotun Hassan and Myson Nejo, who wrote a petition against the Executive Director of Nexim Bank, Stella Okotete, accused Senator Ayo Akinyelure of taking sides during a committee sitting.
The duo had written a petition to the National Assembly through Akinyelure, Chairman Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition to look into the issue of the ED of Nexim Bank.
The petition filed by Hassan and Nejo called for a reversal of Okotete’s appointment stating that she was not qualified to hold such a position.
The petition read, “Public complaint against criminal conspiracy to wit: unimplemented 2019 senate resolution on removal recommendation, violation of the CBN’s circular to all banks and financial institutions revised assessment criteria for approved persons’ regime for financial institutions ref; fpr/dir/cir/gen/05/014 dated 15th October 2015.
“And regulations on appointment of heads of financial institutions, serial fraudulent misrepresentations on prerequisite qualifications and deceitful withholding of CBN’s statutory position, obligations and duties as the executive director of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank against Stella Erhuvwuoghene Okotete.”
It added, “Given her lack of educational academic prerequisites and 18 years of banking service years of experience, non-professional technocratic competence and ongoing massive corruption at the Nexim bank, hence our clarion calls for her immediate replacement.”
Meanwhile, when two of Hassan and Nejo appeared before the panel was told that they were told by the Senator that the Nexim bank ED sent a text message to them to inform them that she would not be available to attend the meeting as she was currently out of the country.
Senator Akinyelure further explained to them, “Since the case was already in court, the Senate might not be able to formally hear the case.
“The case is already in court but the reason I didn’t discharge the case is that I am not sure if that’s why she is here or not. She told me that she is on medical leave abroad.
“I magnanimously allowed that the case be heard. Let us wait till she comes and we would and we would hear from both parties. And if the court papers are presented before us to show that the case is in court, then we will let you go to the court to handle the case.”
However, things went south when the senator began to make case for the Executive Director of Nexim Bank.
He said, “The President is free to appoint whoever he wishes into whatever position. This appointment is that of a Development bank that doesn’t require certificates.”
He added that “Mortgage and development banks can even be run by a primary six holder, unlike the commercial banks that require a lot of professionalism.”
Akinyelure further added that he is a Chartered Account and was therefore speaking from knowledge.
His arguments and positions didn’t sit well with the petitioners as they blew hot and accused the senator of bias and lack of transparency.
One of the petitioners, Nejo said, “We don’t see the reason for coming here because you have already taken sides, defending the woman.
“If you say that the case is already in court, then you don’t need to say all of this.”
Nejo further told the Senate that “If the Senate has done its job by monitoring things and the Central Bank of Nigeria did things rightly, there will be no need to be writing a petition.
“But things are not going in the proper manner and we have gone the extra mile to petition and the Senator is defending the woman, I am no longer interested in bringing this case before you.
“What we have heard from you shows that you will not go to give us a fair hearing because you are even telling us that the president is free to appoint whoever he pleases to appoint without the need for any certificate.
“We are telling you that we don’t want you to hear this case anymore, Mr Chairman, you’re biased sir! This is highly disappointing,” he added.
