THE REBUTTAL

Written by LANRE ATIBA

(Copyright (c) 2016 “The Rebuttal” This screenplay may not be used or reproduced for any purpose including

commercial or educational purposes without the expressed written permission of the author)

SYNOPSIS

Hassan is a member of the Lagos State House of Representatives, he finds

himself in a precarious situation when he becomes chairman of the special

house committee on Education and Youth development and stumbles upon a

discovery that could threaten the very foundation of the government. He is

faced with the hard decision to either right a wrong that can no longer be

overlooked or simply bow to superior forces beyond his control.

CAST

HASSAN HAMMED - HONORABLE MEMBER OF THE HOUSE

AISHA HAMMED - WIFE OF HASSAN

JASPER EDOK - CHIEF WHIP OF THE HOUSE

SHEHU KABIR - SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE

OYELOWO BABATUNDE - HASSAN‟S ATTORNEY

LAMIDI SONIBARE - THE STATE GOVERNOR

EXTRAS

DSS OPERATIVES

JUDGE

PRESSMEN, ACTIVISTS

SCENE 1 (PLENARY MEETING IN THE STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY)

Background music is on as the scene shows different honorable taking their

respective seats in the chambers, while some do a little chit chat. Camera

zooms to the House Speaker as he takes his place on the Speaker‟s seat and

calls the meeting to order.

Speaker: “Good morning honorables, please be seated (all take their

seats). Before we commence today‟s Agenda, I will like to open

the floor to give opportunity for the raising of any issue by

the honorable members of the house, if there be any.

There is a moment silence as it seems no one has any motions to raise,

then one breaks the silence

Honorable Hassan: “I would like to raise a motion Mr.Speaker”

Speaker: “the floor is yours Honorable”

Honorable Hassan: “As the house is aware, I have just been appointed

chairman of the house committee on education and youth

development by the honorable speaker of the house. In the course

of looking into past bills of the house on education I came

across an Education Endowment Fund law passed in 1989. The law

stipulates that the state under the directive of the Governor

set up an endowment fund also known as „the fund‟ where monies

may be raised through government grants, philanthropic

contributions and any other means the supervising board of this

fund account deemed fit. In total 271 public primary and

secondary schools are to be beneficiaries of this special fund

to aid infrastructural development and improvement in the

overall quality of education to students.

Speaker: “Can you arrive at the point honorable”

Honorable Hassan: “I will sir, on careful examination; I found that this

special fund has been serviced regularly since its inception

with monies deposited in the fund account opened with a

commercial bank since the pioneering administration. However

there seems to be no record of money disseminated to any of the

271 schools slated as beneficiaries of this fund for the current

administration. Considering the fact that provision for this

fund has been made in the state budget annually I find it

alarming that such money meant for sensitive purpose as

educational development can be allowed to float around

unaccounted for. I would like the honorable speaker of the house

to set up an investigative panel to look into the fund scheme

and establish proper connections to help us understand what

exactly is going on.

There is murmuring around the house as Hassan finishes his statement

Speaker: “Decorum please, honorable Hassan has moved to raise a

motion for an investigation into an Education Endowment

fund whose origin spans beyond the formation of the current

house of legislators. What says the house, the I‟s? the

Nays?

The house members carry out a simple vote by lifting their hands in

support of either I or Nay.

“The I‟s have it, a special committee will be set up to

launch an inquiry into the endowment fund to ascertain the

appropriation of funds allocated to said scheme over the

course of the current administration”

The scene fades out

SCENE 2 ( INSIDE HONORABLE HASSAN‟S VEHICLE)

Honorable Jasper: “You are a detailed man Hassan”

Honorable Hassan: “I‟d like to think so myself”

Honorable Jasper: “indeed you are, I mean, how else can one explain

digging up a bill that has been running unnoticed for 26

years”

Honorable Hassan: “Unnoticed? Nothing goes unnoticed in government,

someone always know something, besides documentation only

falters for the current administration”

Honorable Jasper: „You think we could discover a scandal on this

matter?”

Honorable Hassan: “I think… it is too soon to fear the worst, let us

hope that a logical explanation comes to the fore after the

special committee is done with its inquiry”

Honorable Jasper: “Of course O noble honorable”

They both laugh as the scene comes to a close

SCENE 3 (HONORABLE HASSAN‟S HOME)

Hassan walks into his sitting room with his wife and two children at the

dinner table, the two kids rush to give him a hug

Kids; “welcome daddy”

Hassan: “My Loves, how are you”

Kids: “fine daddy”

Hassan: “that‟s good, hurry and finish your food now,”

The kids run back to the dining table to continue their meal

Aisha Hammed: “welcome dear” (seated at the table as Hassan walks over to

plant a kiss on her forehead)

Hassan: “My love how was your day?”

Aisha: “Uneventful”

Hassan: “Ahah, that makes the both of us” (he takes a sit at the

opposite end of his wife)

Aisha: “We both know that is a lie, you have become something of a

celebrity in the public eye recently” (Aisha passes him a

newspaper with a front page headline that reads

HONORABLE HAMMED HASSAN OPENING A CAN OF WORMS?

Hassan: “What is this?” looking slightly alarmed

Aisha: “The press being the press”

Hassan: “well have you read it?”

Aisha: “Of course”

Hassan: “and?”

Aisha: “you are my husband, I married you because in all my life I have

found no man more honorable than you. I only plead with you to

approach your new role in the house with caution.”

Hassan: “caution… what are you talking about?‟

Aisha: “you have a wife and two kids who believe their father is

everything, your next steps at the house of assembly will be

very crucial, have us in mind when you take them”

Hassan; “Dear, I don‟t underst…”

Aisha: “should I bring your dinner now”

Hassan: (gives a sigh of exasperation) “… yes please”

The scene fades out as Aisha gets up and leaves for the kitchen

SCENE 4 (Inside The Speaker of the state house of assembly office)

There is a knock on the Speaker‟s door

Shehu Kabir: “come in” (Honorable Hassan walks in) “oh Honorable Hassan,

please take a seat (he motions to the chair opposite him)

Hassan: “Thank you Mr. Speaker”

Shehu Kabir: “How are the wife and family?”

Hassan: “Very well thank you”

Shehu Kabir: “oh its nothing, the welfare and state of well being of my

house members and their families is of paramount importance to

me”

Hassan: “that‟s wonderful to know sir”

Shehu Kabir: “Please leave the sir out of it honorable, we are

contemporaries merely separated by ceremonial title” (gives a

nervy laughter)

Hassan: “alright then”

Shehu Kabir: “so, how do you see your new role as chairman of a house

committee?”

Hassan: “demanding, but its all part of the job, just doing my best

to perform to expectation”

Shehu Kabir: “Excellent, that‟s excellent…beautiful, that‟s good to

hear”

Hassan: “Yes”

Shehu Kabir: “uhm… is there anything you need honorable, anything that

requires urgent attention, something I can be of help to you?”

Hassan: “Not exactly, apart from the economic struggle to build a better

life for one‟s family, there‟s nothing overly pressing right

now”

Shehu Kabir: “I see, that‟s good… peace of mind is the best thing a man

can have (gives a nervous laughter)

Hassan: “As God will have it {wallah sawf yakun dhlk}, you summoned me

Mr. Speaker, is there a problem?”

Shehu Kabir: “Problem? Hopefully not”

Hassan: “oh good, so why did you summon me?”

Shehu Kabir: “Hassan, you are a young accomplished politician, I have

watched your career soar over a very short space of time, and I

am truly happy for you”

Hassan: “Thank you very much, Allah has been most merciful”

Shehu Kabir: “yes, however it would be a shame to see such a glittering

career bite the dust prematurely”

Hassan: “I‟m afraid you‟ve lost me at this point, bite the dust?”

(Looking slightly alarmed)

Shehu Kabir: “your inquiry into the Endowment fund, I‟d advise you to

forget about it”

Hassan: (Dazed by the sharp change in contrast of the conversation) “I,

I don‟t understand”

Shehu Kabir: “we are going to proceed with the next plenary meeting and

pretend the motion you raised never existed. You will do well to

follow suit and not bring it up”

Hassan: “Mr Speaker… (deep in thought)

Shehu Kabir: “I have given you a mere friendly advice; you don‟t have to

look so dumbstruck”

Hassan: “I see… well thank you for the advice Mr Speaker, I will take it

into advisement”

Shehu Kabir: “I‟m sure you‟ll do the right thing”

Hassan: “I‟m sure I will”

Shehu Kabiri: “Beautiful! Thank you for coming in”

Hassan: “Of course” (he gets up and leaves the office”

SCENE 5 (AT THEAMUSEMENT PARK)

The kids are at a distance playing in the park while Hassan and Aisha sit

together watching on

Aisha: “kids, so free and happy, without a care in the world”

Hassan: (laughs) “well that‟s because they are in their world now, and

theirs‟ is much different from ours”

Aisha: “don‟t you ever wonder, what changes? How do we get here?”

Hassan: “that‟s the mystery of life, isn‟t it?”

Hassan‟s phone beeps to signify the entry of a text message

Aisha: “Your phone”

Hassan: “yeah, got it ( he pauses with a look of bewilderment as he

reads the message)

Aisha: “Honey, what is it?”

Hassan stares on without replying, Aisha makes to read the text and is also

taken aback by its content

YOU HAVE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY HONORABLE, WOULD BE A SHAME IF SOMETHING HAPPENED

TO THEM

“What is this? Honey who sent this?”

Hassan: “I don‟t know, the number is custom”

Aisha: “The kids! (She begins to call out for her two children far off)

Just then a second texts comes in

Hassan: “Aisha… (Still looking at the phone with trepidation)

Aisha: (bends over to look at the phone and screams upon reading the

text”

IBRAHIM SEEMS TO LIKE THE SWINGS A LOT, HEHE!

Hassan: “listen to me, act natural, we are being watched. Walk over to

the kids and bring them as calm as you can, we need to get out

of here”

Aisha: (nods her head hastily as she hurries off to get the kids

SCENE 6 (HONORABLE JASPER‟S LIVING ROOM)

Hassan: “Jasper, there is fire on the mountain, what I‟m I saying; there

is fire on my mountain!”

Jasper: “calm down Ol boy, what has got you all antsy?”

Hassan: “The endowment fund I probed, I think someone wants the case

buried and they are going to any length to get their wish”

Jasper: “what‟s going on?”

Hassan: “I‟m receiving death threats Jasper, my wife, my kids can‟t go

to school. Everyone in my home is being threatened!”

Jasper: “wow, that‟s serious, have you filed a report at the police”

Hassan: “they are sitting ducks on the matter; they can‟t make any moves

since the threats are anonymous”

Jasper: “Too bad… I warned you”

Hassan: “What?”

Jasper: “when you were appointed chairman of the committee, it wasn‟t

for you to go all defender of the Universe and start digging up

stuff; you should have just played your role”

Hassan: “My role? What are you talking about?”

Jasper: “what a shame, you really are a fish out of water; you‟re way in

over your head on this one Hassan. Do the right thing”

Hassan; “If I didn‟t know better, I‟d say I detect a trace of Shehu in

your tone”

Jasper: “I bear no resemblance to the house Speaker Hassan, I‟m merely

speaking as a friend who wishes to save you the trouble you are

clearly headed for if you don‟t fall in line”

Hassan: “wow, I see, honorable Jasper Edok, the chief whip who wants me

to fall in line with his corrupt caucus. How foolish I am to

jump from frying pan to fire”

Jasper: “Quit the melodrama old friend”

Hassan: “We are not friends, not anymore” (walks out)

Jasper: “Hassan…Hassan!”

SCENE 7 (THE STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY)

Hassan is met with DSS operatives as he attempts to get into his office

DSS Operative: “Honorable Hassan Hammed”

Hassan: “Yes”

DSS Operative: “You have been invited for questioning at the ICPC”

Hassan: “What? For what reasons?”

DSS Operative: “we are under instruction to bring you to the commission

under allegations of gross misuse of office and reckless

handling of sensitive House information”

Hassan: “this has to be a joke, you must be joking… please get out of my

way and allow me access to my office”

DSS Operative: “I‟m afraid you cannot go in there sir, you are currently

under investigation, and your office is out of bounds to prevent

tampering of evidence”

Hassan: “I am under investigation for what? For what? Who placed me

under investigation? ( his yelling beginning to cause a scene)

DSS Operative: “Please sir if you will kindly follow us”

Hassan: “I am not following you anywhere, who do you think you are? You

think you can just whisk me away like a ram for the slaughter. I

know what you are all up to, you corrupt officials. You want to

discredit me by rubbing me in the dirt”

DSS Operative: (brings out a piece of paper and serves it to Hassan) “this

is a warrant for your arrest, you either follow us quietly or we

take you against your will,one way or the other you are coming

with us to the commission”

Hassan; “and I should be swayed by the piece of forged paper, over my

dead body before I follow you crooked officers out of here. I‟d

rather…”

DSS Operative: “officer! Place him in cuffs, you have resisted arrest and

slandered federal security agents, hence you will face

additional charges in court, move!”

Hassan is cuffed and dragged out of the scene as he continues to yell

SCENE 8 (IN HOLDING CELL)

Aisha hurries in to meet Hassan and they communicate separated by iron bars

Aisha: “Hassan, I came as soon as I heard”

Hassan: “it‟s ok”

Aisha: “what is going on?”

Hassan: “I‟m being accused of being an informant to the press”

Aisha: “what? How?”

Hassan: “I‟m as bewildered as you are”

Aisha: “well no matter, I have brought an attorney friend to deal with

whatever the case is, honey this is Barrister Babatunde Oyelowo,

he is a SAN and he has promised to help”

Oyelowo: “hello honorable, I have gotten some preliminary updates on the

genesis of this issue and I am inclined to suspect a hint of

foul play and sabotage. But not to worry, we will soon spring up

a surprise of our own, they won‟t see it coming”

Hassan: “they have released falsified documents in the guise that I fed

the press constantly with them as an informant. They are moving

for exclusion so that I may be suspended and my testimony

rendered non trustworthy”

Oyelowo: “Honorable when you say „they‟ who exactly are you referring

to?”

Hassan: “that I can‟t say exactly, but I‟m certain the House speaker and

Chief whip are involved, maybe some other principal officers of

the house as well but I can‟t tell”

Oyelowo: “Good, we will start by investigating the roles of these two in

your current predicament. I am aware that this is an offshoot of

your probe into the 1989 endowment fund”

Hassan: “yes, you can say that”

Oyelowo: “has the governor attempted to reach you”

Hassan: “I don‟t think so, you think I should contact him?”

Oyelowo: “Yes, if anyone can settle this quickly, its‟ him”

Aisha: “don‟t worry hun, we‟re going to get you out of her as fast as

possible. They are proving difficult with the bail requirements

but they can‟t keep you here longer than today, I promise”

Hassan: “it‟s ok love, do what you have to do”

Oyelowo: “I assure you honorable, this will not go their way”

Hassan: “Thank you very much Barrister, I‟m grateful”

SCENE 9 (IN DOOR MEETING WITH OYELOWO AND PRESSMEN AND ACTIVISTS)

MONOLOGUE

Oyelowo: “Hammed Hassan is a legislator with the state house of Assembly;

three months ago he was arrested on trumped charges of

conspiracy to betray the house by the House leadership. However

we now know that was a desperate attempt to discredit the

honorable and prevent him from discovering the truth about the

1989 Education Endowment bill of which 217 state public schools

were to be beneficiaries. A total of 615 million naira is set

aside for the endowment fund per annual budget, that makes a

rough sum of 3 billion unaccounted for by the present

administration and the House Leadership will have us remain in

the dark on what has become of this fund.

Ladies and Gentlemen I have invited you all, pressmen, human

rights activists, publicists, lawyers in here today because we

have to right a wrong in our society, where the innocent carries

the sentence of the guilty. Hassan stood to fight for our

children, for our society and now we must fight for him!

(Everyone in the room nods in agreement and let out rapturous

cheers)

SCENE 10 (THE GOVERNOR‟S OFFICE)

Governor Lamidi: “The man that refused to bow??” what is this! (he throws

the daily carrying the headline)

Shehu: “your Excellency, this is merely a weak attempt to gather

public empathy by inciting public opinion, he will fade

away soon enough”

Governor Lamidi: “soon enough? How soon is soon enough?”

Jasper: “Your Excellency, Hassan is powerless; he has been

languishing in cell for the better part of the last four

months with no possible way out. I assure you, we are in

control”

Governor Lamidi: “you better be, when a man that is in jail begins to make

the front covers, you have to wonder who really is in

control”

Shehu: “Governor, Hassan will be neutralized soonest, plans are

already in motion. I guarantee he will no longer a problem

for us”

Governor Lamidi: “Have I not heard that before, when I asked you to change

the last one that gave us problems, I expected you to do

just that, not put an even greater problem on our necks”

Hassan: “I accept the fault Your Excellency, Hassan was an

unassuming man, I couldn‟t have possibly known he would

become such a thorn in the flesh.

Governor Lamidi: “Well find a way to cut this thorn off, before it pierces

too deep”

(Scene Fades away)

SCENE 11 (HASSAN‟S HOLDING CELL)

Free Hammed Hassan campaign goes viral all over social media and

newspapers…the public call for respite for the embattled

Law maker.

(At Hassan‟s holding cell, Aisha and Oyelowo are together with him)

Aisha: “They‟re calling you the man that refused to bow”

Oyelowo: “we have been able to incite public empathy, the Judge will

hear your case, they won‟t be able to hold you down here

much longer”

Hassan: “I am grateful to you Barrister, you have fought for me

without benefit, may God reward you”

Oyelowo: “you gave us all reason to fight honorable, this is down to

your determination to do the right thing”

SCENE 12 “COURT HEARING”

Prosecutor: “There is substantial evidence to prove that the defendant

leaked sensitive house documents under his control to

certain press members providing them illicit access to

legislation matters that were yet to be decided by the

house. Hence he is guilty of gross misconduct and misuse of

office and should be immediately suspended and tried”

Oyelowo: “Gross misconduct and misuse of office… hmmn, how about we

add fraud, misappropriation of funds and money laundering

to that and charge it to the Claimant. (Murmurs grow within

the courtroom)

Prosecution: “Objection!”

Judge: “Counsel”

Oyelowo: “You honor I have evidence to prove that my client is

innocent of all bogus charges against him and in fact it is

the claimant which basically is the state house of assembly

leadership that is guilty of this trumped up charges and

more!”

(The murmuring goes even louder)

Judge: “Order! Order!, Order in my court!!”

Oyelowo: “and that is not all your honor, I have an in house witness

willing to testify!”

Judge: “and who is your witness defense counel?”

Oyelowo: “Mr Gbadamosi Otunuga!, House clerk of the state house of

assembly!”

(The court bursts into rapturous cheers as the momentum swings

to the defense favor)

SCENE 13 (THE LAW COURT)

Both counsels have argued there case over a six week period and the Judge

is about to make a ruling)

Judge: “having carefully cross examined the arguments from both counsel

and weighed in on the testimonies and evidences presented before

the court on the subject matter of a suit filed by the claimant

which stands by way of the leadership of the State house of

assembly against the defendant honorable Hammed Hassan on

allegations of gross misconduct and misuse of office, I find the

defendant, not guilty (a thunderous cheers rings around the

court), however following the revelation of substantial evidence

bordering on fraud, money laundering and misappropriation of

fund, this court finds sufficient reason to investigate further

the counter allegation of the defense counsel and moves the suit

against the Speaker of the house, Deputy

speaker, Chief whip and Governor to Trial. Honorable hammed

Hassan is hereby discharged with immediate effect and

acquainted.

The cheers are deafening, Aisha jumps for joy as she hugs her husband with

the kids, Oyelowo gives him a pat on the back.

Oyelowo: “Well done sir, you have won a vital victory today, but the war

has only just begun”

Hassan: “with men like you, I‟m certain the war is but won already”

The scene pans out with congratulatory jeers around the court room

THE END