August 29, (THEWILL) – The Chairman, Ad-hoc Committee investigating job racketeering in MDAs, Rep. Yusuf Gagdi, has dismissed the allegation of extortion of some MDAs by the committee.
Reacting to the allegation, the Committee summoned all Vice Chancellors of federal universities to appear before it on Sept. 1, to give documentary evidence on the alleged extortion by a member of the Committee.
Gagdi issued the notice in Abuja, on Tuesday, during the resumed investigative hearing on job racketeering affecting over 400 MDAs.
Gagdi faulted an online report, titled: ‘Nigerian lawmakers probing job racketeering are extorting money from agencies’, for tagging all the 37 members of the Committee as ‘corrupt’, adding that the Committee would not be deterred by sponsored blackmail from carrying out its statutory functions.
According to Gagdi, as Chairman of the Committee, he was unaware of any member collecting money from MDAs.
He explained that if the author and the Vice-Chancellors have any information on any particular member, such a report should be channelled towards the member rather than blackmailing all members of the Committee.
“Regarding what we are hearing and what we are seeing, first is to tell Nigerians that this Committee is not going to be deterred in discharging its responsibility. Nigerians have hope in this Committee from the way we are conducting the business of this Committee, everybody is seeing what we are doing.
“We will not compromise by hiding and aiding irregularities going on in the public service. No amount of statements accusing this Committee will deter us from doing our job. You may have your problem with a member of this Committee, but don’t blackmail the entire Committee members.
“I’m saying this because I am not being accused of doing anything. But if you have issues that you want to make public about a member of this Committee, sort it out with him.
“Please, don’t put anything on the faces of members of this Committee. We are determined to do justice to Nigerians in the course of this investigation.
“My only appeal to the members of the fourth estate of the realm, the press, is that let us be credible journalists. If you have anything to say about us, be categorical.
“Don’t accuse my members blindly. Tell us who is accusing who, instead of tagging this Committee as a corrupt committee. It is unacceptable to us, we are not and we will never be.
“But don’t bring an indicting headline in the name of selling your newspaper or agency. Please, I’m saying this – we will move forward, and we will do the needful. We are not going to surrender,” Gagdi said.
Gagdi directed the Clerk of the Ad-hoc Committee to write the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) to ensure that all the VCs appear before the Committee on Friday, to clarify the allegation.
