Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), which is a coalition of over 150 anti-corruption organisations are calling for a thorough investigation on the allegation of N1.1 billion naira water contract linked to Nigeria’s Deputy Speaker, Mr. Lasun Yusuff.
Mojeed Alabi, an investigative journalist with New Telegraph newspaper had in May, uncovered how Mr Yusuff used his personal company; Nur & Company Nigeria Limited, to secure contracts worth about N1.1 Billion from the federal government through the Ministry of Water Resources.
In a petition signed by Deputy Director of SERAP, Timothy Adewale June 8, the organization asked the Conduct Bureau (CCB) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the allegations against Mr Lasun.
It also gave Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to compel the anti-graft agencies to probe the House of Representative Deputy Speaker else they take legal action against the government.
“SERAP wants the agencies to jointly investigate allegations of incompatibility, apparent conflict of interest and abuse of office involving Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Lasun Yusuff using his personal company to win water contracts amounting to about N1.1 billion from the Ministry of Water Resources, and to collaborate with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in any such investigation.”
“We urge you to take steps within 14 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter, failing which SERAP will institute legal proceedings to compel the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to order your agencies to act in the public interest”, the statement partly read.
On the other hand, the Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), wrote its petition addressed to the Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu investigate the allegation against the lawmaker.
CSNAC further demanded that Hon. Lasun should be made to serve as deterrent to other public offices, if allegation against him is investigated to be true.
The petition reads:
”The contracts, which are part of the National Assembly’s Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIP), otherwise known as “constituency projects,” were parts of the joint projects attracted to the state by 12 members of the National Assembly from Osun State, who had been elected to the two chambers between 2011 and 2015, on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), one of the legacy parties of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Hon. Lasun, who represents Irepodun/Orolu/ Olorunda/Osogbo Federal Constituency, and who was then the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Water Resources, had allegedly used his position to bid and win the contract without the knowledge of his colleagues.”
“On the whole, in the face of the above allegations, we are of the view that if same is found to be true, the aforementioned action of the Deputy Speaker is in flagrant disregard of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and the Public Procurement Act and as such appropriate sanctions and or prosecution should be made against him to serve as a deterrent to other like-minded individuals”, CSNAC added.
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