CENTENARY CITY PROBE: Anyim, Hembe at each others throat over vendetta allegations

Former Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim on Friday lashed out at Herman Hembe, House Committee Chairman on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for what he termed vindictive behaviour.

The incident which could pass for high level drama played out as the House Committee on FCT began investigations into the Centenary City project. Hembe’s committee is conducting investigations into alleged irregularities surrounding the ambitious multi-billion project initiated by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Objecting to Hembe’s leadership of the probe committee, Anyim said, “You have told everybody that cared to listen that when the former DG of SEC accused you of demanding bribe from her, you pushed for her to be sacked and I refused to sack her while I was SGF, and so this is an opportunity for you to pay me back. Mr. Chairman, I will not allow you to use the National Assembly platform to pursue personal vendetta.”

“It was after all your efforts to get the MD to come and see you privately failed, that you confirmed this date (after several postponements). I want you to know that nobody will see you privately, rather we are ready for the hearing,” Anyim added.

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Anyim also quarreled with the procedure adopted in requesting his presence at the probe.

Said he, “The proper protocol in inviting a former Senate President is to have the Clerk of the National Assembly sign the invitation letter.

“The two chambers are not independent of each other, rather, they are interdependent. If any chamber takes a decision, the other can just concur…I submit that you have no reason not to consider that the Senate considered this matter, and you shouldn’t go ahead to consider it again except for any other motive,” he added.

However, Hembe would have none of Anyim’s allegations, saying, “as far as this hearing is concerned, I am chairman here, and I will not allow you to usurp my powers.”

Anyim, however, insisted that Hembe had “a deep seated personal interest and bias in this matter and “not in a position to guarantee fair hearing…on the entire subject matter.”

The drama was, however, incomplete without former FCT minister, Bala Mohammed also joining forces to berate Hembe for being ‘childish’.

Advised to withdraw the statement, Bala retorted, “I will not take it back. Do your worst, my privileges are infringed by this show of childishness. Go to Court, do your worst.”

Hembe’s reply to Mohammed was: “We expect as an elder, as a Senator and a former Minister, your conduct should be above board.”

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