The House of Representatives has given the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, 48 hours to publish names, contracts, dates and amount of contracts awarded to members of the 9th House of Representatives.
Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila said the House will invoke the full wrath of the law if the Minister fails to do so. Gbajabiamila said Senator Akpabio appeared at the investigative hearing to ‘play games’.
The resolution followed a matter of privilege moved by Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu.
The Minority Leader said his privilege was breached by the allegation from the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs that 60 per cent of NDDC contracts were awarded to National Assembly members.
In his response, the Speaker, described the Minister’s comments as untrue and challenged him to publish the names of beneficiary lawmakers in forty eight hours or risk the full wrath of the law.
He commended the chairman of the House Committee on NDDC, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who recused himself from Monday’s sitting as a determination to ensure fairness and balance.
The Speaker also decried a situation where the Minister’s allegation lacked any iota of evidence.
He described the allegation as a distraction from the main issue bordering on extra budgetary spending in the NDDC.
