By Dayo Omoogun
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Obot Akpabio, yesterday recanted on his claim at the House of Representatives hearing held on Tuesday,
which was widely reported in the media to the effect that most beneficiaries of contracts of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) were lawmakers. He added that as a former Minority Leader of the Senate, he holds the House in high esteem.
He had said emphatically at the hearing that members of the National Assembly were the most beneficiaries of the Commission’s contracts.
Said he at the Tuesday hearing, “Who are the greatest beneficiaries? It’s you people now … I just told you that we have records to show that most of the contracts of NDDC are given to members of the National Assembly…The two chairmen can explain to you.”
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, had, following this embarrassing disclosure issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Minister to publish a full list of all National Assembly members who had so benefitted.
However, rather than take up the challenge, the Minister in a placatory letter to the Speaker ate the humble saying that he never made any such statement.
Part of the letter he wrote to deny his earlier declaration reads:
“I refer to the resolution of the House passed on the 21st of July 2020 and forwarded to me on the same day, directing me to respond to the content therein within 48 hours. I hereby respond as follows:
“Investigating committee on NDDC refused or neglected to give me the opportunity to explain that reference to most NDDC contracts yearly being awarded since 2001 from the records allegedly given to members of the National Assembly were done without the knowledge of the alleged beneficiaries.
“However, the two chairmen of both chambers had adequate knowledge.
“I never referred to members of the 9th National Assembly as beneficiaries of the NDDC contracts.
“Again, let me repeat, I never referred to members of the 9th National Assembly as beneficiaries of NDDC contracts as NDDC is yet to fully implement any budget since the commencement of the 9th National Assembly.
It is interesting to note that even as the denial is being made, the video clips showing Akpabio making the claims are still trending online
Nevertheless, in spite of his denial, the House of Representatives resolved to sue him for perjury and slander.
Perjury is a criminal act of lying on oath in an official proceeding while slander is making a false statement that damages a person’s reputation.
At Thursday’s plenary as the Speaker read Akpabio’s letter, he highlighted the various incoherencies and inconsistencies in it to the admiration and applause of his colleagues.
Gbajabiamila notified them that he had already instructed the Clerk of the House, Patrick Giwa, to engage the services of lawyers to initiate perjury proceedings against the Minister for failing to publish the list as demanded.
He added that the House will also initiate civil proceedings against the minister, saying that he will not allow anybody to tarnish the image of its members.
He said: “Last Tuesday, I issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the minister to substantiate his allegation that over 60 per cent of contracts awarded by the NDDC went to members of the National Assembly. I said then that the minister owed it to himself and the country to provide evidence to support these serious allegations.
“The minister has failed to respond to my request. Therefore, I must conclude that his statement was intended solely to gaslight the nation to avoid accountability for the evident maladministration and malfeasance in the NDDC.
“I recognise that the House has not always lived up to the high expectations of the Nigerian people. As much as we still have a lot to do in that regard, I refuse to sit here in good conscience and allow anyone to assassinate the character of the House in an attempt to deflect accountability for their conduct in office.
“Such mendacity as was witnessed at the public hearing will not be tolerated from anybody no matter how highly- placed.
“This morning, I asked the Clerk to engage the services of legal counsel, and instruct them to initiate a criminal complaint of perjury against the minister. At the same time, we will instruct counsel to explore the possibility of a civil defamation suit against the minister.
“We will resist every attempt to undermine this institution, whether such attempts come from within or from outside.”