BREAKING: House Committee on NDDC summons NDDC Minister, Akpabio, Others

Piqued by mountainous allegations of abuse against the Minister of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Senator Godswill Akpabio, during the the ongoing investigation over alleged illegal spending of N81.5billion NDDC fund, the House Committee on NDDC has summoned Akpabio to appear before it on Monday, July 20, 2020.

Drawing from the testimonies of the former Managing Director of the Commission, Joy Nunie, the House Committee on NDDC moved that Akpabio appear before it on Monday by 11 am.

The same summon is also extended to the acting Managing Director of the Commission, Prof Kemebrandikumo Pondei at the same time.

Prof. Pondei and other top officials of the Niger Delta Commission had walked out of the venue of the sitting for an irreconcilable reason.

The Acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Prof Kemebrandikumo Pondei, who led members of the Interim Management Committee, demanded that the Chairman, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, steps down as he had also been accused of various “crimes” against the commission.

Pondei said, “Let just say that we are not comfortable with the Chairman of this committee presiding over a matter which he is an accused party. The NDDC has over the time accused Honourable Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo of different crimes against the NDDC and its people, and he has responded in the press. He is an interested party and we do not believe that the NDDC can have justice because he cannot sit on his own case.

“We have no issues with appearing before the committee because we appeared before the Senate committee. And as long as he is the Chairman of this committee, the NDDC will not make any presentations here.”

Several members of the committee, however, dismissed the request.

It was on the basis of the disagreement that the NDDC officials walked out.