Speaker Gbajabiamila launches probe of Aregbesola over stolen N165 billion prison fund

The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance by Ndudi Elumelu, the minority leader of the House on the floor of the House on Wednesday.

HILLARY ESSIEN • February 16, 2022

Femi Gbajabiamila, Rauf Aregbesola and Bola Tinubu

Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, a staunch loyalist of presidential aspirant Bola Tinubu, has initiated a vast corruption probe of interior minister Rauf Aregbesola at the House of Representatives.

Mr Gbajabiamila presided over the plenary on Wednesday where it was decided that Mr Aregbesola and prisons chief Haliru Nababa should be probed for mismanaging up to N165 billion in funds earmarked for prisons development across the country.

The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance by Ndudi Elumelu, the minority leader of the House on the floor of the House on Wednesday in Abuja. In his argument, Mr Elumelu criticised the welfare of the workforce.

“The House is disturbed that despite this Act and increase in budgetary allocations to the Nigerian Correctional Service to drive its renewed mandate, the tempo and quality of the Service have remained the same if not retrogressing,” Mr Elumelu said. “The House is worried that the working conditions of Staff and inmates’ welfare have deteriorated notwithstanding the over N165 billion budget allocations to the Service in the last two years.”

The legislators resolved to have its committee on Reformatory Institutions investigate the allegations and report to the House within 12 weeks for further legislative action.

The move comes as Messrs Aregbesola and Tinubu are slugging it out publicly over the power tussle in Osun state. On Monday, Mr Aregbesola was at a political rally where Mr Tinubu was severely derided, including being mocked over the viral video that many said amounted to public urination on his body.

Mr Aregbesola has been locked in a fierce political fray with his former chief of staff and successor, Gboyega Oyetola, accusing him and Mr Tinubu of conniving to destroy his legacy in Osun. Messrs Tinubu and Oyetola are believed to be of the same family, with Mr Oyetola often describing himself as a younger brother to Mr Tinubu.

Peoples Gazette has reached Mr Gbajabiamila’s office to find out whether or not the probe has connection to the ongoing rift between Messrs Tinubu and Aregbesola.

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