President of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, Mr. Femi Otedola, on Tuesday honoured the invitation of the House of Representatives Ethics and Privileges Committee probing his alleged $620,000 bribe to a ranking lawmaker.
Otedola arrived at the House at 1.55p.m while the hearing began at 2.05p.m with introductions.
The committee then went into a closed door session, contrary to Otedola’s demand that he would only atend if it was held in the open.
However, the committee Chairman, Gambo Musa, had said on Monday that he was no aware of Otedola’s reported demand.
The committee had invited him to explain allegations that he gave $620,000 bribe out of a demand of $3 million to the former Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on the Management of Fuel Subsidy Regime, Mr. Farouk Lawan, and the erstwhile secretary, Mr. Boniface Emenalo, to get his companies off the list of firms indicted for the alleged mismanagement of oil subsidy funds.
Lawan has, however, explained that he collected the money because he wanted to use it to show as evidence that Otedola put him under intense pressure to absolve his company of guilt.
On Monday, a television station, Channels, aired the audio of one of the purported discussions between Otedola and Lawan on the alleged bribe.
More details later.
