The Senate yesterday, summoned the Minister of Special Duties, Senator George Akume, over alleged failure of lottery operators to remit appropriate revenues to the Federal Government.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Obinna Ogba, made this known after the committee met with the lottery operators and the regulatory agencies handling their affairs.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, had last month directed the committee to conduct an investigation to the alleged loss of enormous revenue by the Federal Government which it ought generate from lottery proceeds annually.
The directive followed a debate on a motion moved at plenary by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, who called on the Senate to probe the nonexecution 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 yesterday, during the Committee sitting, when the representatives of Western Lotto and those of Premier Lotto clashed at the event.
Western Lotto, which said that it had the franchise to run the Ghana Games in Nigeria, was established by the late Senator Buruji Kashamu while the Premier Lotto which challenged its claim is believed to be owned by Chief Kessington Adebutu, popularly known as Baba Ijebu.
