The Rivers State House of Assembly Ad-hoc Committee on Education has ordered the legal representatives of PAMO University of Medical Sciences out of its premises and warned that summoned officials who fail to appear in person could face arrest.
The confrontation occurred on Thursday as the committee commenced an investigation into the alleged mismanagement and lack of accountability surrounding funds disbursed to PAMO University by the Rivers State Government from 2017 to date.
The university’s legal representatives, led by Dr Chukwuma Austin Chinwo, Esq., of Amazing Partners, appeared before the committee to represent the institution and submit documents responding to the issues under investigation. 
However, the committee reportedly insisted that the Vice-Chancellor of PAMO University must appear personally before it and rejected the lawyers’ attempt to submit correspondence on behalf of the institution.
The committee also directed that any official correspondence from the university should be channelled through the office of the Speaker of the House.
Speaking after the encounter, Chinwo said the university had made several attempts to submit its documents to the Assembly but that officials responsible for receiving correspondence had refused to accept them.
He said the legal team consequently decided to appear physically at the hearing with the documents in order to ensure that the university’s response was formally received.
According to him, the lawyers were nevertheless prevented from submitting the documents and were subsequently asked to leave the premises.
Chinwo said the legal team was also unable to obtain directions to the Speaker’s office before being ordered out.
“The relationship of PAMO University with the Rivers State Government is that they sponsor some students at the university, which is managed by the Ministry of Education,” he said.
He also questioned whether the Assembly’s investigative powers under Section 128 of the 1999 Constitution applied to PAMO University in the circumstances.
“The invitation of the client based on Section 128 of the Constitution, which gives the House of Assembly power to investigate for special reasons, does not affect our client, and that they should not appear,” Chinwo said.
The lawyer further alleged that the university had made repeated efforts to communicate with the Speaker’s office without success.
“We have sent letters on behalf of our clients to the Speaker, which they refused to accept. The letters have been sent to his WhatsApp, special private mail and our courier persons from Red Star Express, but they refused to accept,” he alleged.
Chinwo said the legal team had attended Thursday’s proceedings in good faith and with the intention of presenting the university’s documents.
“This morning, we represented our clients at the committee hearing, yet they walked us out and refused to receive the letter,” he said.
Assembly Summons Officials
The committee’s inquiry followed a summons issued earlier in the week directing the Vice-Chancellor of PAMO University, the Rivers State Accountant-General, the Commissioners for Education and Finance, as well as other relevant officials and agencies, to appear before it.
At Thursday’s sitting, however, the Vice-Chancellor, Commissioner for Finance and Accountant-General were absent.
The Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee and Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Dumle Maol, expressed concern over their failure to attend the hearing.
Maol subsequently directed the absent officials to appear before the committee in person on Thursday, September 24.
He warned that the Assembly could invoke relevant constitutional provisions to compel their attendance if they failed to comply.
The Deputy Speaker specifically warned that a warrant of arrest could be invoked against the officials should they fail to honour the rescheduled summons.
