By Kehinde Akintola No fewer than 30 members of the House of Representatives are expected to appear before the House Committee on...
By Kehinde Akintola
No fewer than 30 members of the House of Representatives are
expected to appear before the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges over the
allegations bordering on the execution of over N100 billion in the
controversial 2018 emergency projects awarded by the Niger Delta Development
Commission (NDDC).
This followed the directive issued by the Speaker of the
House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila during the Thursday plenary
when he referred the letter sent by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs,
Senator Godswill Akpabio, to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges for
further investigation.
Some of the members listed in the controversial letter are
from Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Ondo, Imo, as well as unnamed ‘Caucus in the House of
Representatives’.
The three-page letter with Ref. No: MNDA/HM/041/IV/158 dated
23rd July 2020, and titled ‘Some Niger Delta Development Commission contracts
allegedly given to some members of the National Assembly (Senate and House of
Representatives)’, alleged that the investigating committee on NDDC refused
and/or neglected to give him the “opportunity to explain that the reference to
most NDDC contracts yearly being awarded since 2001 from the records allegedly
to members of the National Assembly in both chambers.
“However, the two chairmen of the committee on NDDC had
adequate knowledge.”
The minister further added that: “It has always been known
that the two chairmen of the Committees on NDDC in both chambers yearly exhibit
unusual influence to the exclusion of committee members and even the management
of NDDC in appropriating funds to details embellished in the budget after
passage of the line items at the plenaries.”
Senator Akpabio |
“Some of the members listed in the controversial letter are
from: Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Ondo, Imo, as well as unnamed ‘Caucus in the House
of Representatives.”
Some of the acronyms written on the Annexures A, B, C and D
attached to the Minister’s letter are: Bayelsa Rep who got contract worth
N413,293,006.88; Ondo Rep/Ubadinma Blessing who got contracts worth
N552,563,379.38; Imo Rep who got contracts worth N585,577,933.50; Edo Rep who
got contracts worth N502,435,025.17; House of Reps caucus also got contracts
worth N254,384,426.63 with contract details of Kabaka Brown; NE Rep got two
contracts worth got 2 contracts worth N717.555 million; while one Hon. Nadu who
got contract worth N484,762,887.
Also listed beneficiaries of the multi-billion naira NDDC
contractors are: TC/COP Villa/MD who got several contracts for undisclosed
amounts; AIG Operations Abuja who got contracts worth N186,771,348.75, while
DIG/Ochei got contract worth N348,702,613.61; GOC 6 Division also got contract
worth N349,976,919.86; CSO/CNC got contract worth N150,342,858.75; MD/EFCC for
a contact of Godwin Udoidiong for undisclosed amount; George Moghalu National
Auditor/EDP also got contracts worth N198,397,145.63; EDP/Giadom also got
contract worth N663,155,999.63 and N649,013 million; while Justice Nnamdi
Dimgha FHC got contract worth N249,555,206.25.
Source
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