Update: Agbonayinma resigns as chair of House c’ttee probing N6tn PENCOM funds

…Accuses Rep. Oke, PENCOM of blackmail, subversion

Henry Omunu, Abuja

Chairman, House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the N6 trillion pension funds and activities of the Pension Commission (PENCOM) from 2017 – till date, Rep. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma has resigned, accusing another House member and the PENCOM of blackmail and subversion.

Announcing his stepping aside as the committee’s chairman on Thursday, Rep. Agbonayinma right from the day the House passed the resolution to probe the N6 trillion pension funds and the activities of PENCOM, there have been an orchestrated move to frustrate the committee’s work by some vested interests.

The House member while addressing those summoned by the ad hoc committee and other stakeholders, said that uncomplimentary and savage tactics were deployed to ensure the committee becomes a still birth.

Specifically, he pointed accusing fingers at Rep. Oluwole Oke of throwing decorum and parliamentary ethics to the wind by taking it upon himself to deliberately derail the activities of the ad hoc committee.

“His conduct is morally and parliamentarily unacceptable. From inception of the investigation, his actions were infamous and uncomplimentary befitting of a lawmaker which is to walk in the path of justice.

“He made overtures in subverting the mandate of the ad hoc committee which was disregarded. On March 20, he brought the acting director general and the director operations to my office to request to know what it will take for me to scuttle the investigation.

“My reply was that, PENCOM should submit requested documents and that the committee intends to work judiciously as directed in the resolution of the House.

From our findings, the body language of the House member is that of a commissioned agent and with a directive to stifle the investigation and subvert the report of the ad hoc committee.

“It’s very sad that a ranking parliamentarian is involved in these unwholesome acts. This is the hand of Esau, but the voice of Jacob,” he stated.

Agbonayinma further alleged that his integrity and image has been impugned upon by smearing him in the social media, with insinuations that he was bent on carrying out a hatchet job on PENCOM because of his daughter’s sack from the same agency.

“The management of PENCOM is on a path of war because of the ongoing investigations by the ad hoc committee, using public funds to blackmail threaten the committee by saying l am hard on the commission because of the sack of my daughter.

“It’s germane to note that the commission sacked her on February 27, 2019 and the ad hoc committee started its investigations on December 12, 2018. It’s scandalous to link PENCOM probe to my daughter’s sack,” the lawmaker added.

He however, vowed that the truth about PENCOM funds must out. The real issues are clearly spelt out in the motion and the mandate given to the ad hoc committee by the resolution of the House.

“There have been a systematic and orchestrated attempt to frustrate the patriotic and determined effort of this ad hoc committee.

This fight is not against EJ or my daughter, this is a fight against the cohesive sanctity of this House, as government is a continuum,” said Agbonayinma.

When contacted Rep. Wole Oke, who allegedly accompanied the acting PENCOM boss to committee chairman’s office denied ever having any links with PENCOM, insisting that “how and in what way.

Let him substantiate his allegations with facts, such allegation is false and untrue.

“He should not drag me into his woes and that of his daughter over their allegations of certificate forgery. The committee has constitutional powers to do their job and bring their report to the floor.

“I have no business with PENCOM. I don’t owe any PFA nor am l a director in any.

If there is any lawmaker that PENCOM hates, it’s me because of my legislative activities sponsoring bills that exited the armed forces and intelligence communities.”