The two dissenting parties involved in the stagnant Sunborn Yacht project, the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism and Intergovernmental Relations, Tokunbo Afikuyomi, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Multipurpose Infrastructural Development Company, Emmanuel Obire, reneged on their promises to submit all documents relating to the project to the state’s House of Assembly.
The lawmakers refused to take oral presentations during a hearing last Tuesday and demanded that all documents relating to the project be submitted to the House.
Mr. Afikuyomi and Mr. Obire promised to submit the documents but they failed to appear yesterday before the House proceeding and no documents were submitted by either of them.
It was expected
On Tuesday, October 20, when the documents relating to the project were requested to be tendered, one of the lawmakers, Adelabu Onibiyo, representing Alimosho I, suspected that there might be no document anywhere because “Mr. Obire looked suspiciously towards Mr. Afikuyomi anytime the issue of documents is raised.”
Also, Mr. Obire claimed some documents relating to the consignee company, Loneseed Limited, were with the project’s financial adviser, Diamond Capital. However, Babatunde Ogala (representing Ikeja) took the statement as a “flimsy excuse.”
“You cannot say you don’t have, at least, photocopies of the documents assuming the originals are with Diamond Capital,” he said.
Mr. Ogala demanded that the owners or the registration number of Loneseed be disclosed “so the House can carry out its own investigation into the matter”.
Disappointment
The lawmakers expressed their disappointment on Tuesday when the two parties did not show up. Mr. Ogala explained that the Sunborn Yacht has generated so many negative reactions in different media and many of the reports indicted the House of Assembly.
“The House has also been accused of covering up for some people, and we have also been accused of compromise,” he said.
“Our party leaders have also been accused and this issue has become something that cannot be swept under the carpet. We need to take an affirmative action because the issue seems to be the one that requires a proper investigation.”
Moshood Oshun (Lagos Mainland 2) said the challenge posed by the matter has gone beyond what he called a party affair.
“It is now an embarrassment to the state,” he said. “We can’t afford to put the state’s reputation at stake.”
Others demanded that Mr. Afikuyomi be consequently sanctioned for deriding the Assembly’s orders.
“He has put the state in a big embarrassment and, therefore, we should not take it light with him,” said Mr. Onibiyo who suggested that a warrant of arrest be placed on the commissioner for disregarding the Assembly.
Getting to the bottom
The Speaker of the House, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, said, “This House will not allow anyone, no matter how highly placed, to toy with the name of the state. I must confess that I am a little bit embarrassed, and I think we have to get to the root of all these and make sure that the truth behind the vessel is resolved.”
He said the commissioner telephoned on Monday night claiming he was not aware he was supposed to present a document to the Assembly, and promised to bring it before the House on Tuesday.
The House decided to summon Mr. Afikuyomi to appear before its sitting on Thursday. Calls placed to Mr. Afikuyomi and Mr. Obire went unanswered.
Reader Comments (19)
post a comment
* = Required information