TheCable

The senate has commenced investigation into an allegation of corruption against the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

Raising a point of order on Tuesday,  Dino Melaye, a senator from Kogi west, alleged that the bureau was planning to buy a building for 89bn  against the budgetary provision for it.

He, therefore, called on the senate to look into the matter.

“Some characters in trying to undermine the laws of this country and also build corruption,” he said.

“The Code of Conduct Bureau got approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to build their permanent site.

“This approval was backed up by an award of contract that was reviewed from about N3 billion to N8 billion.’’

According to Melaye, after the contract was awarded, over N1.4 billion was released for construction to commence at the site.

“This represents about 16 per cent of the contract. Job started and over 10 per cent job was done, but CCB requested for the purchase of a new building, thereby abandoning completely, the ongoing construction,” he said.

“Why this became urgent is because as I speak with you, due process has been completed, the Bureau for Public Procurement has already given provisional approval for the purchase of this building.

“Any moment, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be signed and the building that is not worth N4 billion will be purchased, thereby jettisoning ongoing project where government has already invested N1.4 billion”.

He said the purchased building had nine storeys.

The lawmaker expressed worry over the development, saying it was unexpected of CCB, an institution mandated to protect and watch over the finance of the country by checking corrupt practices in the public service.

Afterwards, the upper legislative chamber mandated its committees on ethics, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and procurement to investigate the allegation.

The bureau had filed charges of false asset declaration against Senate President Bukola Saraki at its tribunal.

Saraki could not preside over the senate on Tuesday because he was at the tribunal for the continuation of his trial.

The senate had also amended the CCB Act, wresting control from the executive, but President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to sign the bill.