By Ayo Kehinde
Following his allegation at the House of Representatives Committee probing the allegation of corruption in the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, on Monday, that 60 lawmakers got contract awards from the Commission, Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio has been giver 48 hours by Speaker Femi Gabjiabiamila to publish the alleged names or face the full wrath of the law.
At the ongoing probe by the Reps Committee of N48 billion allegedly squandered by the Commission under the supervision of Akpabio during the 3-months tenure of former Acting Managing Director, Ms Joi Nuneh and under the current Interim Management Committee, IMC, headed by Professor Kekebradikumo Pondei, Akabio had made the allegation without naming names in a last ditch efforts to save face and drag a wool over the eyes of the Committee and discerning public after the IMC, head, Pondei collapsed while giving testimony.
This dramatic turn of events led the House Committee, whose Chairman, Olubunmi Ojo, had recuse himself to allow for fairness in the probe, suspended its sitting.
Recall that Nuneh who blew open the can of worms in the Commission, had appeared before the probe after she was saved by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State from illegal attempt by police to arrest her and thereby foil her appearance
Praising Ojo for his leadership by excusing himself as head of the House Committee on Niger Delta during Monday sitting, Gbajiagbamila said if Akbabio does not publish the alleged names in the next 48 hours, the full wrath of the law would be exacted on him, adding that what the Minister did at the Monday probe, in refusing to answer directly to questions on alleged corruption in the Commission, amounted to a distraction from the allegation of reckless spending by the Commission.
Gbajibiamila said: “And I will give the Minister (Akpabio) 24 to 48 hours. Clerk, I want you to back this up with a letter from this House. Give the minister 24 to 48 hours to publish the names, the contracts so given, the dates because obviously these things will be documented; unveil the companies of the 60 per cent projects that were given to members of the National Assembly.”
In fact Akpabio shot himself in the foot when he had accused Ojo of taking contract from the Commission in April, 2019, when in fact Ojo assumed head of the House Committee in November 2019.
Apart from the N48 billion being officially probed, revelations have shown the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC Spent N81.5 billion as sundry expenses, including graduation ceremonies in the United Kingdom during lockdown?
The breakdown down is as follows
N3.14 billion for COVID-19 palliatives for staff; N1.3 billion on community relations; N85.6million for travels during lockdown between February and May 2020; N122.9 million on condolences between February – May 2020; N23.8million on consultancy; N2.6 billion on medicals; N790.9million as imprest; N1.9 billion on Laser fever; N706 million on legal services; N1.121billion on public communication
