The Edo State House of Assembly Ad-hoc Committee investigating the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) and the Radisson Hotel projects has threatened to issue a warrant of arrest against former governor Godwin Obaseki after he failed to appear before the panel.
The committee was set up following a request from Governor Monday Okpebholo to examine the funding structure, ownership, and execution of the projects, which include the state government’s N3.8 billion investment in MOWAA and N28 billion in the Radisson Hotel development.
According to the lawmakers, the committee is empowered to compel appearances and, if necessary, request police intervention to bring invited individuals before it.
Besides Obaseki, those summoned include former Commissioner for Finance, Joseph Eboigbe; former Attorney General, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi; Managing Director of Tilbury House Nigeria Limited, Pramod Thorat; HIMC Project Manager, Ugochukwu Anigbogu; and the heads of Afrinvest Capital Limited, Meristem Trustees Limited, and Emerging Africa Trustees Ltd.
Committee chairman Addeh Isibor revealed during the resumed hearing that Obaseki and others had communicated through their lawyers, explaining why they declined the invitation.
Obaseki cited multiple lawsuits relating to MOWAA as his reason for not appearing.
However, Isibor criticised their refusal, stressing that the inquiry’s purpose was transparency, not persecution.
He reiterated the committee’s commitment to compiling an evidence-based report regardless of the level of cooperation received.
According to him:
“These gentlemen have unilaterally chosen to absent themselves that there exist court cases regarding our sitting or issues under consideration.
“We know the position of the law. We are not dunces but cerebral people. We are constitutionally mandated to carry out an investigation or hearing on any matter to which we have the power of appropriation.
“The mere filing of a suit in court cannot amount to a stay of proceedings. They ran to court after we commenced the public hearing.
“No judge can stop our sitting. We will reach a decision on the matter. If you choose not to make yourself available, you cannot claim you were refused the right to a fair hearing.”
