HERMAN HEMBE AND ARUNMA OTEH FACEOFF

"the child who peeps through the keyhole instead of asking questions, knows only his version of the story"


Politics as a game is thicker than water, and its relations run deep. Politics has an unforgiving spirit and usually always ready to compensate ones losses and failures and ego. This vista of thought was clearly exhibited by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, when he decided on the late Umaru Yar'Adua the junior brother of his one time close friend and Vice President the late Shehu Musa Yar'Adua as the PDP presidential candidate in 2007. Enough of the history, that'll be an analytic summary for another day.

Aruma Oteh's story has a brief genesis with the man known as Masur Muhtar, who was minister of finance during the late Umaru Yar'Adua tenure as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Her recommendation was made by Mansur Muhtar who was an executive Director of AfDB in Tunis between 2001 until his appointment as finance minister in December 2008 while Arunma Oteh was Vice President for corporate management here in Nigeria, appointed in march of 2006. Having worked in other capacities in different organaisations, the AfDB umbrella was one association that helped further the career of Arunma Oteh. After being nominated as the DG of the SEC in July 2009 she was finally confirmed and became the DG of the SEC in January 2010

As for Iorwase Herman Hembe who hails from Benue state representing Konishasha/ Vandeikya constituency, little is known about him aside his venture into politics and and his most recent now infamous accusations which have put him on the public  stage. As the chairman of the committee set up to investigate the activities of the Securities and Exchange Commision. Herman Hembe accused Arunma Oteh of spending 850,000 Naira in one day on food to 30million Naira hotel accommodation fees, and other excesses.  The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Director General (DG) quickly turned the tables by questioning the credibility of the panel chairman Herman Hembe who she in turn accused of soliciting for 39million and an added 5million for the smooth running of investigations during the probe. According to Arunma Oteh, her adamant refusal to his request became the reason for the unfair and biased treatment by Herman Hembe, the chairman of the panel. She also made mention of his supposed trip to a conference in the Dominican republic in Oct of 2011 which was funded by the SEC and Herman didn't attend. Giving the level of accusations leveled against him, Herman stepped down as the chairman of the committee on capital market probe, today the 20th  of march 2012.

Though a  UNN (University of Nigeria Nsuka) first class computer science graduate and MBA holder from Harvard Business School, Arunma Oteh is no saint. She has successfully seen to the shameful ousting of Herman Hembe as chairman of the panel, the first so far since panels have been setup to investigate different sectors of the Nigeria's economy this year. The core truth of what actually transpired  between Herman Hembe and Arunma Oteh remains cloudy at the moment as  the public washing of dirty linen continued today with counter accusations by Herman Hembe against Arunma Oteh. Hembe tried to plead his case by claiming innocence at the same time throwing the ball of accusation back to Oteh during the sitting of the house of representatives today in Abuja, and also submitting a memo which he claims originated from the SEC. The resolution at the end of the session was the innauguration  of an a new Ad-Hoc committee to be chaired by Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi from Taraba State.  A time frame of 21days has been given the new committee to investigate and report back to the house on their findings. alongside, the house committee on ethics will also be investigating the Herman Hembe committee on the allegations of bribery within a 14day time window.
As everything else seems uncertain,  the dogged attitude of Arunma Oteh is nothing but sure.