Dimeji Bankole
The Congress was commenting on the statement by the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, that no court has the jurisdiction to try him for anything he did while exercising his powers in that capacity. It described Mr. Bankole’s statement “laughable and as a serious act of ignorance,” and urged that his trial for fraudulently obtaining a N38billion loan without following due process to go ahead as there is enough proof of evidence before the court to show that he breached the provisions of Section 311 of the Penal Code Act Cap. 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja).
“The questions on our lips are, does Bankole have the right to obtain a secret loan on behalf of the House when the said House is not his private company and even when the Clark of the House vehemently opposed to such move and advised accordingly,” the TUC asked in its press statement, which was signed by its President-General, Peter Esele, and Secretary General, John Kolawole.
The statement continued: “Is this gentle man trying to tell us that even if he had sold the rest of us into slavery while in power, no one could query his action?
Does this man think that being a speaker means becoming God? Is he saying that once one becomes a speaker he is above the law of the land, or has he not heard of how presidents of other nations are being jailed for the atrocities they committed while in office?”
[Full text of the statement]:
TUC ON BANKOLE CHALLENGE TO THE LAW
The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) having demanded for the trial of the ex-speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, over the reckless leadership styles he foisted on the House, and the quick response by the relevant anti-corruption agency to try him for fraudulently obtaining a N38billion loan without following due process, regard his recent challenge to his trial as laughable and as a serious act of ignorance.
Bankole was quoted as Citing the provisions of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act and the National Assembly Service Commission Act, in which he stated that no court has the jurisdiction to try him for anything he did while exercising his powers as the speaker of the lower legislative chamber. And that in the exercise of his duties in matters relating to his office as Speaker of the House of Representative, that he cannot be prosecuted for such acts, decisions and resolutions of the House of Representatives taken at its Executive or Committee sessions, because the principle of vicarious liability was unknown to criminal law in Nigeria.
He averred that there is no iota of evidence contained or shown in the Proof of Evidence placed before the court capable of warranting the inference or conclusion that he was at any time entrusted with the House of Representatives Account No. 0039007000018 with the United Bank for Africa Plc as alleged in the charge brought against him by the anti-graft agency.
TUC demand that the trial of the former Speaker must not be stopped as there is enough evidence in the proof of evidence before the court to show that he breached the provisions of Section 311 of the Penal Code Act Cap. 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990 in the manner alleged in the charge .Bankole and his co-travelers committed a felony to wit: theft as being alleged by the EFCC and must be punished according to the laws of the land.
On the alleged offence of criminal breach of trust and theft slammed on him, Bankole averred that, as contemplated or defined in the Penal Code, that he cannot be said to have committed any crime by obtaining a loan to augment allowances and running costs of members of the House of Representatives in violation of the extant Revised Financial Regulations of the Federal Government of Nigeria, 2009.
The questions on our lips are, does Bankole have the right to obtain a secret loan on behalf of the House when the said House is not his private company,and even when the Clark of the House vehemently opposed to such move and adviced accordingly.
Is this gentle man trying to tell us that even if he had sold the rest of us into slavery while in power, no one could query his action? Does this man think that being a speaker means becoming God? Is he saying that once one becomes a speaker he is above the law of the land, or has he not heard of how presidents of other nations are being jailed for the atrocities they committed while in office?
We call on Nigerians to be ready, as soon, very soon we shall join hands to decide who owns the land.
COMRADE PETER ESELE CHIEF JOHN KOLAWOLE
PRESIDENT-GENERAL SECRETARY GENERAL
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