The Labour Party lawmaker representing Edo South Senatorial District in the Senate, Senator Neda Imasuen, on Thursday, said that the Senate leadership has begun investigating the issues raised by rights activist Rita Lori-Ogbebor over the revocation of ownership of a property belonging to her late husband, Col. Paul Ogbebor (retd), in Abuja.
Speaking to newsmen in Benin, Imasuen, who is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, assured Ogbebor’s family of a swift resolution to the matter.
The federal lawmaker said a committee has been set up to investigate the allegations against the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Imasuen, who expressed dissatisfaction with the way and manner in which the Ogbebor’s family handled the matter, said he was never contacted either through letters or phone calls/SMS.
He said he was surprised to have first heard about the matter on national television, even though his office was yet to be inundated with a simple petition on the alleged revocation of ownership of the property belonging to the deceased colonel.
Imasuen said that as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, what was expected of the Ogbebor family was a petition or even a visit to his office to inform him of the alleged revocation.
He noted that the proper channel for bringing the issue to his notice was through a petition but claimed he only got wind of the information through the media, which he stated was not the best way forward.
“I only heard on the TV, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor screaming and talking agitatively about someone taking over her late husband’s property,” he said.
While noting that the NASS had intervened to ensure the property is not demolished pending a full-scale investigation by the lawmakers, he said, “The resolution of the Senate on the matter is that, until the matter is fully resolved, the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) cannot continue action on the property.”
Imasuen assured the public and Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, wife of Late Col. Paul Ogbebor (retd), of his support, declaring that the Senate’s leadership intervention has put on hold all action on the property.
“For me, we have achieved so much progress in that regard, and I am very satisfied with that action. Those peddling falsehoods that I was not saying anything on the matter are only ignorant of the workings of the Senate.”
It would be recalled that Lori-Ogbebor had lamented the revocation of ownership of a property belonging to her late husband in Abuja, urging President Bola Tinubu to call the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to order.
She said the estate, located in the Life Camp area of the FCT, is the property of Paulosa Nigeria Limited, a company owned by the late Ogbebor, a civil war hero and one of the first-generation officers in the Nigerian Army.
Lori-Ogbebor claimed that the FCDA issued a quit notice on November 22 this year and went ahead to reallocate the property on December 9.
