A prominent politician and elder statesman in Bauchi state, Alhaji Sanusi Baban Takko, has faulted the purported query issued by the House of Representatives to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Assets and Special Duties recently issued a query to the minister with respect to a Public Private Partnership (PPP) concession agreements entered with May and Baker.
The concession agreement was entered by the administration of former President Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo through the Federal Ministry of Health in 2007.
But Takko, a chieftain of APC Elders Relations Committee in the defunct Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council Committee (PCC), said it was needless issuing query to Professor Pate, for an agreement entered into, when he was not in office.
He said: “What everyone expected the House of Representatives Committee on Public Assets and Special Duties to have done was to follow the laid down procedures of the House and summon the then Minister of Health in President Obasanjo’s government for an explanation on the contentious issue on the Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreement, instead of directly issuing query or invitation to Professor Ali Pate on the issue he knew nothing about.
“Professor Pate has served the nation in different capacities with distinctions, bringing honour, dignity and respect to Nigeria without compromising his integrity.
“He’s also a highly respected figure within the international community of which his service has always been without the slightest blemish, and for that, it’s rest assured that we won’t allow any clandestine moves to rubbish his records.
“Professor Pate has never been found wanting for any misdemeanor, let alone being issued with a query as purportedly done by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Assets and Special Duties.”
Takko insisted that Nigeria is operating constitutional democracy, where rule of law, due process are the true bastion for advertising the success of any ideal society.
“In this regard, section 36(12) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended says: “No one shall be punished for an offence, unless the offence is known to law, and punishment as prescribed”, he said.
