The $3 million bribe brouhaha took a dramatic twist earlier today as one of the dramatis personae, Chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, Femi Otedola,\u00a0 said he wont testify in secret.<\/p>\n
He said this as he honoured the invitation of the House of Representatives on Ethics and Privileges Committee probing his alleged\u00a0 bribe to the suspended Chairman of the ad-hoc committee, Farouk Lawan.<\/p>\n
The committee then went into a closed door session. However, Mr Otedola requested the hearing should be conducted in public.<\/p>\n
There had been a string of back and forth between both camps. On monday, Channels TV aired an alleged audio of a phone conversation between Lawan and Otedola on how to deliver $2.5 million of the bribe money. Lawan’s attorney, Mike Ozekhome dismissed the audio as doctored.<\/p>\n
Lwan who had been quizzed by police is insisting he received the money in a bid to entrap Otedola, but Otedola maintains it was a bribe to ensure the committee struck off Zenon Oil from the list of rogue oil marketers.<\/p>\n
Below is his statement:<\/p>\n
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges,
\nHonorable Members of the House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges,<\/p>\n
Honorable Members,<\/p>\n
This is a matter that has generated a lot of public interest and controversy.
\nThe House of Representatives Committee on the Management of Fuel Subsidy headed by Hon. Farouk Lawan held all its sittings in public.<\/p>\n
When this issue arose, the House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges publicly stated that its investigations will be held in public.<\/p>\n
It is therefore surprising and curious that this committee has made a U-turn to hold its investigative sittings in-camera particularly in the light of unfolding events.<\/p>\n
I strongly believe that the interest of the public will not be best served if this investigation is held in-camera.<\/p>\n
I have nothing to hide and will only speak on this issue when the press and interested Nigerians are allowed to be present at the sittings of this committee.<\/p>\n
Thank you.
\nFemi Otedola, CON
\n3rd July 2012.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The $3 million bribe brouhaha took a dramatic twist earlier today as one of the dramatis personae, Chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, Femi Otedola,\u00a0 said he wont testify…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":885,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[49,18,51,50],"class_list":["post-884","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive","tag-corruption","tag-fuel-subsidy-scandal","tag-lawan","tag-otedola"],"yoast_head":"\n