EFCC Quizzes N’Assembly Clerk, Seizes His Passport

EFCC Quizzes N’Assembly Clerk, Seizes His Passport
  • Group backs Goje for Senate presidency

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

The Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Ataba Sani-Omolori, was on Tuesday invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over issues relating to the finances of the National Assembly, as well as the inauguration of the Ninth National Assembly.

This is coming as a North Central Advocacy Group has endorsed Senator Danjuma Goje for the position of Senate president.

THISDAY gathered that Sani-Omolori was invited to the headquarters of the anti-graft body and was interrogated by an operative of the EFCC for six hours from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Apart from initial questions on records of finances of the National Assembly, it was also learnt that Sani-Omolori was also reportedly asked about the method of election of the presiding officers of the Ninth National Assembly billed for June.

Omolori’s six-hour interrogation at the EFCC headquarters also resulted in the seizure of his international passport.

Sources privy to the invitation told THISDAY that other key officials of the National Assembly, including the Clerk of the Senate, and the of the House of Representatives, as well as their deputies have also been invited to the commission today.

Before Omolori’s invitation, the former Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, had earlier been quizzed by the same agency

One of the sources disclosed that Maikasuwa was quizzed shortly before Omolori got to the EFCC office where he met the former.

A source at EFCC confirmed Omolori’s interrogation.

The EFCC source however, did not want his name mentioned because he was not authorised to speak on the matter.

Meanwhile, Goje, has received the endorsement of a North Central Advocacy Group for the position of Senate president.

Pressure groups across the 19 Northern states have endorsed Goje for the position ahead of the June inauguration of the Ninth assembly.

Goje, a former Governor of Gombe of State and Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriations, is one of the three contenders for the Senate presidency.

The two others are Senators Ahmad Lawan and Ali Ndume.

The North Central Advocacy Group, after its meeting held at the J S Tarka Foundation Makurdi, Benue State capital, yesterday stated that Goje with his wealth of experience will be able to perform wonders as the number three citizen of the country.

“As a former governor of Gombe State ,a three-time senator, former minister and presently chairman senate committee on appropriations, he is eminently qualified to man the office of Senate president,” Hon Inalegwu Ejembi, the convener and leader of the group, said.

The meeting was in solidarity with other youth groups across the country that had thrown their weights behind the candidature of Goje.

Ejembi, a youth mobiliser cum human rights activist said Goje most go ahead and declare interest for the Senate presidency.

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