By Akinwale Kasali
Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio is in trouble. This stemmed from his testimony on Monday, before the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee investigating allegations of Corruption and financial recklessness in the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
While testifying before the Committee, the Minister opened a can of worms when he alleged that most of the Contracts at the NDDC were given to National Assembly members.
Challenged by a female member, Hon Boma, Akpabio had insisted, telling Boma to ask both Chairmen of the NDDC Committees in the Senate and the House.
For emphasis, he said he had a list of them, even as the Deputy Chairman of the Committee, who was presiding, tried desperately to stop both Hon. Boma and Akpabio from continuing the “entertainment”.
Many shocked Nigerians saw his effort as a way of stopping Akpabio from revealing more.
Now, the House is up in arms against Akpabio. He is being threatened with the law.
An angry Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, has given the Minister, 48 hours to publish names of NASS members who got the alleged 60 percent of contracts from the NDDC, failing which the Speaker threatened to hand Akpabio over to the law. He said he is serious, and would pursue the case to the end.
Gbajabiamila said he had never been awarded any contract from the NDDC, and that he was also speaking on behalf of majority of members.
Ruling on a matter of privileges brought by Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, Gbajabiamila said the Minister, who alleged 60 percent of contracts from the NDDC were given to members of the National Assembly, should publish the benefiting lawmakers, especially members of the 9th Assembly.
He further said the names of their companies and the contracts they got should be published or that the Minister would face the wrath of the House.
Although he said his initial reaction was to have a good laugh when the Minister made the allegations, he realised it infringes on the integrity of the House.
He said the Minister owes it a duty to himself, the House Committee on Niger Delta, the people of Niger Delta and Nigerians to publish the names of lawmakers who got contracts from the NDDC. He got a standing ovation.
But Nigerians are asking the Minister to call the bluff of the House. “Publish”, they urge him.
They also fault the Speaker’s restriction to the Ninth Assembly, saying:”Whether the 8th or 9th Assembly, Assembly is Assembly”
They also faulted the Speaker’s insistence on names and companies, saying:”Their names are not likely to appear. But it is easy for them to send contractors with letters and/or recommend names”
At the time of writing, there has been no response from Akpabio.
PDP Shocked
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party in its reaction to the revelations and the drama during which the MD of the NDDC Interim Management Committee, IMC, Prof Pondei collapsed while being grilled by the members of the Committee, said Pondei collapsed under the weight of Corruption.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, kola Ologbondiyan, the Party said
“Pondei collapsed under the weight and shame of overwhelming collective guilt brought on him by the exposure of massive corruption being perpetrated by NDDC officials and APC leaders”.
“It is revealing that Pondei could go no further in the face of scathing revelations of direct pillaging of resources meant for the development and welfare of the Niger Delta people, in an unbridled corruption racket in which the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, also stands accused,”
“It is rather curious that Prof. Pondei slumped after lawmakers demanded that he offers explanations on the contentious payment of billions of naira, alleged unbudgeted sums, to certain companies by the NDDC.
“This is particularly as Nigerians recall that the embattled NDDC boss had, last week, stalled proceedings by challenging the legislators and walking out on the House of Representatives investigative panel.
“The situation in the NDDC is just a tip of the iceberg on the humongous corruption, looting spree and concealment going on in ministries, department and agencies of government being perpetrated by APC leaders and their cronies.”
PDP also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack Akpabio, and disband the NDDC interim management committee for a result from the coordinated probe he ordered.
It urged the Buhari to “note that the people of the Niger Delta region, who are being deprived of their welfare, are following the development with keen interest”.
“Moreover, the entire nation and indeed the global community are watching the handling of the NDDC as well as the EFCC fraud saga by the Muhammadu Buhari administration,” the party said.
“They are watching the unfolding drama, the rigmarole and veneers of concealment by corrupt officials”
