…….. Committee Chairman Recuses Self
By Dayo Omoogun
Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, the acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) fainted yesterday (Monday) in the heat of the House of Representatives probe into the alleged missing funds of the Niger Delta Development Commission.
He was however rushed to the hospital and later revived.
This may have been due to the poor ventilation of the venue of the hearing as the House Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila was to later apologize for the lack of air conditioning.
The same day, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio disclosed that most of the contracts at the NDDC were issued to lawmakers.
While justifying the need for the continued existence of the Commission, he had opined that without it there would be not only “militancy but insurrection” in the region.
Answering further questions, the Minister said” So it is important that people who have gone to court, people who genuinely did jobs should be paid for their jobs. For me I am not against it because, of course, who are even the greatest beneficiaries from the contracts? It is you people”.
At this point, a female lawmaker interrupted him asking what kind of benefits lawmakers get from the contracts to which he retorted: “ I just told you now that we have records to show that most of the contracts in the NDDC are given out to members of the National Assembly”.
He went on to mention specifically the Chairman of the Committee Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo as one of the beneficiaries forcing him to recuse himself from the probe.
Upon this revelation, however, the lawmakers stopped him from speaking further.
Meanwhile, Gbajabiamila has directed the panel not to invite the acting MD any further but to use documents he already tendered to the panel to reach its conclusion.