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Key members of the
House of Representatives yesterday held secret talks with the Minister
of Finance, Olusegun Aganga, after planning to hear the minister’s
testimony at a plenary on why funds for federal projects were withheld.

Accused of blocking
money meant for the implementation of capital projects in the 2010
budget, Mr Aganga was strangely directed last week to meet with all
members during a plenary session on Tuesday, after the initial summons
last week was shifted.

But after stating
the procedure to admit the minister into the chamber yesterday, the
Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, announced that Mr Aganga would meet only with
a select committee of the House, away from the media, fuelling
complaints by opposition members that he is being shielded by the House
leadership.

“It is the normal style of PDP; they don’t want to expose themselves,” a member said.

Ita Enang, the
Chairman House committee on Business and Rules confirmed that the
meeting held but declined to give details. “We are meeting with him
now,” he told NEXT when asked on phone.

‘Playing politics’

Other members
attended the meeting, though the sponsor of the summons last week,
Mohammed Ndume, said he does not believe that the meeting that lasted
several hours held.

According to him if
such meeting was truly held, “they are just playing politics with it.
The Speaker has no right to do what he did. The case is not over yet
because the house resolution still stands.” Mr Ndume’s motion, widely
supported by many members last week, detailed how figures from
government offices show that funds released by the Finance Ministry
averaged barely 30 per cent about two months to year ending. Money
spent by the government on the recurrent budget was over 70 per cent,
the lawmakers said.

“By the time our
people ask which projects were attracted to our areas, what are we
going to say? These projects are not there, and if they are there, they
have been stopped and yet our salaries are not stopped. The salaries of
the presidency have not been stopped,” Mr. Ndume, the minority leader,
lamented.

The minister has also been asked by the House committee on Defence
to explain funds that accrued during United Nations peacekeeping
operations which Nigeria participated in. The summons was moved last
week Thursday after the minister said he was yet to be informed.