Speaker of the Delta state house of assembly, Sheriff Oborewvori, on Tuesday denied media reports that he was invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for questioning over alleged inflation of prices in the purchase of cars for members of the House of Assembly.
On Tuesday morning, report went viral alleging that the Speaker and the clerk of the house of assembly, Lyna Ochulor, were invited by the anti-graft agency to answer questions bothering on a petition from a group of anti-corruption crusaders.
The petition written to the commission by an Abuja based anti-corruption organisation, Initiative for Advancement and Accountable Integrity in Governance, bothers on alleged fraud, abuse of office, inflation in the prices of cars for members and others.
In the petition, the anti-corruption organisation alleged that Mr. Speaker and clerk of the house quoted exorbitant prices for the purchase of the cars to the tune of N1.6billion.
But in response to the report, chief press secretary to the Speaker, Dennis Otu, said the Speaker was never invited by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission over the purchase of cars for members of the House.
Mr Otu, in a statement made available to journalists in Asaba, described the reports that the Speaker and the clerk of the House, Mrs Lyna Aliya Ocholor, were arrested and detained by the EFCC as incorrect and malicious.
Noting that the report was calculated at tarnishing the good image of the Speaker, he explained that VAT and tax were deducted at source by the office of Accountant General of the state from the value of the cars.
Explaining that the clerk who was invited by the EFCC to bring documentary evidence of the cars transaction based on the petition, he said the clerk returned same day after presenting documents requested for by the commission.
Mr Otu held that the cars were purchased in accordance with the procurement law, adding that the petitioners decided to resort to blackmail having failed in their devilish act.
While calling on the public to disregard the said media report in its entirety, he reiterated that neither the Speaker nor the clerk of the House was detained by the EFCC.
Insisting that the Speaker has never been involved in shoddy businesses, he said the Speaker is on the same page with the members and very transparent in the running of the House.
