Reps give Akpabio 48hrs to publish Members that got NDDC contracts

Lawmakers of the House of Representatives have given Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, 48 hours to publish names, contracts, dates and amount of contracts awarded to members of the House.

The Lawmakers gave the ultimatum during plenary on Tuesday.

Recall that Akpabio said on Monday during the investigative hearing that the Lawmakers are the biggest beneficiaries of NDDC contracts.

As soon as Akpabio started implicating National Assembly members for being the awardees of over 60% of NDDC contract the panel members hushed him up.

The ultimatum is coming barely 24 hours after the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Kemebradikumo Pondei fainted during public hearing.

Pondei had fainted while being grilled over alleged misappropriation of multiply billionaires of Naira from the Commission’s coffer.

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Reacting, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, given the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs 48 hours to name the lawmakers who received the contracts.

Addressing the House during plenary, Gbajabiamila said that since 2003 he became a federal lawmaker he had never received any NDDC contract before.

The Speaker said:

“This is my 5th term here and I have never for once collected anything from the National Assembly.

“I know I speak for a great majority of members of this House, a great majority.

“And because of that, I will take this allegation and accusation very seriously.

“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.”

Gbajabiamila’s ultimatum garnered applause from a section of the lawmakers.