The Oyo State House of Assembly has described as fictitious and misleading, allegations of scam in the purchase of official vehicles for the State lawmakers, saying necessary due process was followed in the purchase of the said vehicles.
The Chairman, House Committee on Information, Mr Kazeem Olayanju, was reacting to a petition allegedly forwarded to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by a former Prosecutor with the Special Presidential Panel on Recovery of Public Property, Mr Tosin Ojaomo.
He said the House could not have executed such a project without following due process in line with the official procedures.
According to Olayanju, quotations were received from three companies for the supply of the vehicles in line with the House rules, and the company adjudged as the best and most satisfying, was awarded the contract to supply the cars.
He noted that there was an element of bias in the petition, as the writer claimed that “the contract was fraudulently arranged to favour the contractor instead of Elizade Motors and Mandilas Motors, which also tendered quotations.”
Case for a dealer
Olayanju stated that it was inconceivable that the petitioner was making a case for a dealer and suggesting that the contract should have been given to one contractor or the other.
He said: “Why would the petitioner be talking about the interest of one contractor or the other and not the interest of the State and the Legislature? Oyo Assembly as far as we are concerned followed due process in the purchase of the cars. I can say without mincing words that the petition did not emanate from any of the lawmakers.”
“It was a calculated attempt by some busy bodies who are seeking to see Oyo State plunged into an imaginary crisis. Some of these paid agents are equally seeking to cause disaffection amongst the lawmakers when indeed all the cars have been supplied and delivered and are being used by the lawmakers and the staff,” he asserted.
The Chairman House Committee on Information also dismissed allegations of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker conniving with the company to divert the sum of N1.03billion meant for the official vehicles.
Mr Olayanju adds that rumours that refurbished cars were supplied is also incorrect and impossible.
Lateefah Ibrahim
