The chairman of the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee investigating job racketeering in Ministries, Department and Agencies of government (MDAs), Yusuf Adamu Gagdi said on Tuesday, August 29, that the committee would not be intimidated by any act of blackmail against it by agencies of government.
The committee, however, summoned vice chancellors of all federal universities to appear before the committee on Friday, September 1, alongside the National Universities Commission (NUC) to make their presentations and defend their allegations.
Gagdi said the committee was determined to make a recommendation to the House that would reposition the nation’s public service, saying the committee would not be deterred by any act of blackmail.
Reacting to a report accusing the committee of extorting money from universities while negotiating same with Polytechnics and Colleges of Education to compromise their investigation, Gagdi said the committee was determined to do its job and would not compromise for anything.
He said the committee was not ready to betray the trust Nigerians have built in the committee because of the way it has gone about the investigation, adding that the committee will not hide any wrong doing in any agency in the public service.
He said: “we won’t be deterred by any act of blackmail. This committee has not asked any agency or money and we have not asked any member to demand for money on our behalf”.
While confirming that a meeting between the vice chancellors and a member of the committee took place, he said the aim of the meeting was work out the pattern their presentation will take.
He said: “the meeting with the vice chancellors was presided over by Hon Wole Oke at the end of the day, it was agreed that rather than take all of them together, they will be appear before the committee institution by institution next week.
“However, in view of the recent development, the Clerk will write a letter through the National Universities Commission today asking them to appear before the committee on Friday. All stakeholders will be present and the media should be present too.”
Gagdi said it would be difficult for anyone to blackmail the committee before Nigerians, since they (Nigerians) have seen how the committee has been attacking the agencies, adding that the committee would not be deterred from discharging its responsibility, adding that Nigerian had hope in the committee.
He said: “We will not compromise by hiding irregularities in MDAs, and no amount of statement accusing this committee of compromise will stop us from discharging our duty. You may have a problem with any member of the committee, but don’t blackmail this committee. Don’t put anything at the faces of this committee.
“My appeal to the press is that let us be credible journalists. If you have anything to say about us be categorical, don’t accuse members blindly, don’t tag this committee as a corrupt committee.
“In this committee, you will see a mind blowing recommendations that has not been made in this House before aimed at repositioning the public service. Don’t bring an Indictment. We are not going to surrender
“From day one of this committee, I told them that we are going to be fought, we are going to be chastised, we are going to be witch-hunted. We are going to do this job to the best of our ability.”
