SPEAKER ORDERS AKPABIO TO PUBLISH CLAIMS WITHIN 48 HOURS

By: Agosu Omoleye

Hon. Speaker, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila

The honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, has ordered the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio to publish the names of lawmakers who were awarded contracts by Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as well as the details of the contracts as he claimed during the inquiry session that brought about the drama of the Acting MD of the commission.

Should the minister fail to publish the names, the speaker said the House will throw the full weight of law behind this order to ensure he acts in compliance with the directive.

The Speaker issued this ultimatum during the plenary session on Tuesday, a day after the minister claimed that most of the contracts awarded by the NDDC were awarded to lawmakers.

During a testy appearance before the House Committee on NDDC on Monday, Senator Akpabio claimed that the lawmakers were “the greatest beneficiaries” of NDDC contracts.

Asked how the lawmakers benefitted, he said, “I just told you that we have records to show that most of the contracts in the NDDC are given out to members of the National Assembly”.

The Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio, made his bold claim when appeared before a House of Representatives committee on July 20, 2020.

The Speaker who accused Senator Akpabio of pulling the oldest trick in the book with the claims believes the minister owes it the country to publish the names in the interest of transparency.

On Thursday, Mr Gbajabiamila had to

intervene in the sitting of the committee after the Acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Daniel Pondei, slumped while being grilled about spendings by the commission.

He had called for calm and assured all those invited to appear before the committee that the invites were in the interest of the country and not targetted at anyone.

Stressing that it was a fact-finding mission, the Speaker wished Pondei quick recovery and urged the committee to proceed quickly and wrap up its investigations, stressing that Pondei had already submitted documents to them which should aid the investigation process.

While issuing an ultimatum to Senator Akpabio about his claims, Mr Gbajabiamila, however, said the committee had the right to invite Pondei again should it feel the need to do so.

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