Committee members disown Hembe over N44m bribery accusation.

Members of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market and Other Institutions yesterday disowned their embattled chairman, Hon. Herman Hembe and vowed to keep a distance from him as the anti-graft Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) continues investigation into bribery allegation against him by the Director-General  of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh.

The Committee members met in Abuja at the weekend after a report that Hembe had been invited for questioning at EFCC headquarters, in a bid to ascertain his role in the N44 million bribery scandal.

It was learnt that most members at the meeting, which lasted several hours, bluntly rejected the pleadings by representatives of the House leadership for them to stay by the chairman who is currently in the eye of the storm.

The main aim of the meeting, it was learnt, was to harmonise the account of the members  as regards what transpired with that of their chairman, thereby forestalling possible conflicting accounts before the EFCC.

The meeting, said to have been called at the instance of the House leadership, was meant to see how best the entire committee membership could prepare a soft-landing for him in the event they were invited by EFCC.

It was confirmed that the meeting ended in a deadlock when members could not be convinced on why Hembe should enjoy their protection.

About a half of the 30-man standing Committee failed to be prevailed upon but eventually suggested that a new date be fixed.

They had complained about the timing of the meeting as being wrong, given that their other colleagues had travelled out of Abuja for weekend.

A source said most of those in attendance at the meeting were purely PDP lawmakers who stayed back for Saturday's National Convention of the party.

Another reason why Hembe may have  totally lost the backing of his colleagues was the claim by them that none of them was aware of the dealings between him and the DG of SEC as to whether or not the Commission should sponsor the Public Hearing to the tune of N44 million, until the bubble bust.

Though tomorrow has been scheduled for reconvening of the meeting , committee members left the weekend meeting with a strong view that Hembe should be left to carry his cross.

Another strong argument by Hembe's colleagues was that the letter he was brandishing last week Tuesday following his resignation from the Hearing was never circulated among them, even as committee members.