The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on Wednesday requested for the unfreezing of accounts linked to former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
This was the resolution at a meeting with four of the banks involved in the freezing of Jonathan’s account by the Senate Committee.
The Committee members subjected the officials of the banks to series of questioning, saying the banks have no legal right to encumber those accounts.
It was observed that members of the committee that were present at the meeting with the banks officials were those elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The members are Senator Samuel Anyawu, Senator Jeremiah Useni, Senator Matthew Uroghide and Senator Mao Ohabunwa.
Also, based on the Senate tradition, any issue that is in the court of law cannot be entertained by the Senate standing Committee.
The matter on Jonathan and the EFCC is still a subject of litigation.
The Committee, chaired by Anyanwu, observed that some of the accounts were frozen based on some administrative lapses.
The account with Zenith Bank, according to the committee, must be re-opened because the court order which directed that it should be frozen had been vacated by another court order.
The committee also mandated Stanbic IBTC Bank to reopen the account in the bank.
The committee expressed shock that the banks could rely on ordinary letter by the EFCC anticipating a favourable ruling to freeze a customer’s account.
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