Edo Assembly Threatens Arrest Warrant For Obaseki Over MOWAA, Radisson Probe

The Edo State Hoapply of Assembly ad hoc committee investigating the funding and ownership of the Mapplyum of West African Art (MOWAA) and the Radisson Hotel has warned that it has the constitutional power to issue an arrest warrant for former Governor, Godwin Obaseki, over his refusal to appear before the panel.

Naija News reports that the committee was set up following a request from Governor Monday Okpebholo, who urged the Hoapply to probe the state’s investment of ₦3.8 billion in MOWAA and ₦28 billion in the Radisson Hotel project.

The committee expressed displeasure on Thursday after Obaseki and several others failed to honour invitations, instead sfinishing legal representations citing ongoing court cases as reasons for their absence.

Chairman of the committee, Addeh Isibor, stated the panel had the legal authority to compel attfinishance and insisted that lawsuits could not stop the committee’s proceedings.

Isibor stated during the committee’s resumed sitting, “These gentlemen have unilaterally chosen to absent themselves, citing court cases regarding our sitting or issues under consideration.

“We are not dunces but cerebral people. We are constitutionally mandated to carry out investigations… The mere filing of a suit in court cannot amount to a stay of proceedings.”

Isibor condemned what he described as attempts to obstruct the committee’s work, stating that none of the lawyers attached valid court processes to their letters.

“It is more offensive that none of the SANs attached court processes to the letters. These are empty letters. They want to stop this committee from receiveting to the root of the matter.

“We reject the letters as lacking in merit. The Edo Assembly is not a party to the suit,” he stated, adding that the committee reserves the right to involve law enforcement to ensure compliance.

Those invited alongside Obaseki include former Commissioner for Finance Joseph Eboigbe, former Attorney General Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, and key stakeholders from companies linked to the projects, including Tilbury Hoapply Nigeria Ltd, Hospitality Investment and Management Company, Afrinvest Capital Ltd, Meristem Trustees Ltd, and Emerging Africa Trustees Ltd.

The probe follows a November 9 incident where a high-profile exhibition at MOWAA descfinished into chaos after protesters stormed the venue, claiming the mapplyum belonged to the Oba of Benin.

The preview, meant for investors, artists, and foreign diplomats, finished abruptly as security forces scrambled to evacuate dignitaries.

Footage later went viral revealing terrified guests, including ambassadors from the European Union and Germany, being escorted out under tight security.

Source link