The Senate on Monday resolved to summon the Minister of Special Duties, Senator George Akume, over the alleged failure of lottery operators in the country to remit revenues to the Federation Account.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Obinna Ogba, invited the Minister after his panel met with the lottery operators and the regulatory agencies handling their affairs.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan had last month asked the panel to conduct an investigation into the alleged loss of hundreds of billions of naira it should be generating from lottery proceeds annually.
The directive followed a debate on a motion moved at plenary by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, who also called on the Senate to probe the non-execution of terms of settlement between the Nigerian Lottery Regulatory Commission and one of the lottery firms, Ghana Games in Nigeria.
There was however a mild drama at the committee’s session when representatives of Western Lotto and Premier Lotto clashed at the event.
Western Lotto, established by late Buruji Kashamu, claimed it has the franchise to run the Ghana Games in Nigeria, while Premier Lotto, which is challenging the claim, is believed to be owned by Chief Kessington Adebutu, popularly known as Baba Ijebu.
Trouble started when the Managing Director of Western Lotto Company, Olumide Adedeji, informed the Committee and the management of the regulatory agencies his firm had relevant franchise documents from the Ghana Lottery Commission as its main representative in Nigeria.
Adedeji claimed the NLRC has failed to implement the terms of the agreement to set up the Ghana Games Lottery Commission in Nigeria so that his firm would be earning its due commission.
The Managing Director of Premier Lotto, Ajibola Adebutu, asked the Red Chamber to disregard the claims of the rival lottery agency.
Adebutu said granting such a request would make the Western Lotto, an operator, to be a regulator as well.
Attempts by Adedeji to explain that the NLRC would be the main regulator of the proposed Ghana Games Commission was resisted by Adebutu and the situation led to a stalemate, which forced the panel to meet behind closed doors.
Speaking with reporters after the session, Ogba said the meeting was inconclusive behind the closed door.
He said the committee had decided to summon the Minister of Special Duties and the NLRC Board members to resolve the contentious issue next Monday.
He also said Akume would be expected to tell the Senate why the South East and South South geopolitical zones were not represented on the board of the NLRC.
