The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, and its controversial N1.3 billion budget allocation has ruled out conducting a public hearing with Adeniyi Adeyemi.
The committee, which had earlier requested the Inspector General of Police to produce Adeyemi for questioning, said it would instead meet him privately at an undisclosed location and date.
Chairman of the committee, Yusuf Gagdi, disclosed this during a public hearing on Tuesday, explaining that the decision was necessary to avoid interfering with ongoing investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
According to Gagdi, the panel is also bound by an existing court order relating to Adeyemi’s detention.
The police had declined the committee’s request to produce Adeyemi, stating that he is currently in custody under a valid court order and can only be released for questioning if directed by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Addressing concerns over the decision, Gagdi said the committee was not shielding Adeyemi from scrutiny but was acting within the limits of the law.
“We are not refusing to invite Prince Adeniyi. As an arm of government, we respect the principle of separation of powers and the authority of the judiciary and the executive,” he said.
He added that holding a public interrogation could disrupt ongoing investigations being carried out by anti-graft agencies.
“To put the suspect before cameras and question him publicly could affect the investigations of the EFCC and ICPC. For that reason, we will meet him on an unannounced date and at an undisclosed venue,” Gagdi stated.
The lawmaker further revealed that Adeyemi’s legal representatives would be present during the interaction in line with the court’s directive.
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