The chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Ayo Akinyelure (PDP Ondo Central), Wednesday said he was unperturbed by threat by United Bank for Africa (UBA) over planned probe of alleged N41billion withdrawn by the bank without authorisation from accounts of the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NTEL) and Mobile Telecommunications Limited ( MTEL).
Akinyelure had last week alleged that UBA, based on petitions before his committee, withdrew N41 billion out of N42 billion liquidators of NITEL and MTEL deposited in the bank without any authorisation from the liquidators.
On the strength of the petition, he summoned the Group Managing Director of UBA , Kennedy Uzoka to appear before his committee Wednesday, August 5, 2020 for explanation on the alleged fraud.
But the UBA management led by its chairman , Tony Elumelu, threatened Akinyelure with litigation if he failed to withdraw his allegation against the bank within seven days.
Elumelu in the threat widely reported in the media two days ago, said the bank will not honour the committee’s invitation since the issues at stake are already subject of litigation in the court of law.
In his reaction to the threat Wednesday, Akinyelure vowed not to make any retraction of his statement against the bank last week or tender any apology.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media , Charles Akinwon, Akinyelure said the threat from UBA will not stop his committee from forging ahead with the planned probe.
He said neither apology nor retraction would be made by him as written petitions alleging UBA to have committed the N41billion fraud are in the possession of his committee.
The statement reads in part: “It has become necessary to let Nigerians know that the threat of UBA chairman, Tony Elumelu, against Distinguished Senator Ayo Akinyelure cannot debar the Distinguished Senator, who is the Senate Committee Chairman on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions from carrying out his Legislative Duties.”