Senators who got NDDC contracts, as well as Reps members, have been named by the Minister of Nigeria Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio.
TheConscience Nigeria reports that Akpabio, a former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Senator released the list of lawmakers involved the alleged looting of funds from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in a document released to the public in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital on Sunday.
This online news medium recalls Akpabio had forwarded a letter to the National Assembly where he noted that he did not accuse the lawmakers of receiving 60 per cent of the contracts for NDDC but the part where the minister stated the names were not read on the floor of the house but were in the letter forwarded by the minister to the National Assembly.
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The National Youth Council of Nigeria who released the document on Sunday expressed disappointment that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, refused to disclose the list of federal lawmakers who benefitted from the contracts awarded by the (NDDC).
Senator Akpabio in the document listed Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, representing Delta North senatorial district in the Nigerian Senate against 53 projects which included, Emergency Repairs of Asue Street, Owa Phase 2, Emergency Repairs of ldumuogbe Road via Ojemaye, Emergency Repairs of Otolokpo College Road, Otololkpo, and Emergency Repairs of Police lshu Ani Ukwu Road, Issele Uku
They also included Emergency Repairs of old Sapele Agbor Road, Obiaruku, Emergency Repairs of Ehwerhe Obada Road Agbarho Road, Emergency Repairs of Hon. Ifeanyi Eboigbe Street Boji Boji Owa/Goodwill Street, Owa Alero, and Emergency Repairs of Ahiama Okwu to Obuocha Okwu among others.
READ MORE: EXPOSED: ‘Most NDDC Contracts Are Handled By Members Of National Assembly’ – Akpabio
“Also the Minister listed Mutu’s name against 74 projects which included various emergency road projects in Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Rivers states.
Other lawmakers that Akpabio listed projects against are, Senator Mathew Urhoghide (6), James Manager (6), Sam Anyanwu (19), and others simply identified as Ondo and Edo reps.”
Solomon Adodo, the President of the council, while addressing journalists on Sunday said, “Mr Speaker did not do us justice when he did not disclose to the National Assembly that the list of the beneficiaries he demanded had been disclosed and attached to the letter sent to him.
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“Gbajabiamila’s decision to cover up his colleagues is unfair to the fight against corruption, quest for transparency, and to the commonwealth of our nation.
“We, therefore, urge Mr Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, to resign for covering up for a set of people who had erred and breached the rules of the contract.
All the National Assembly members who benefitted from the contracts without executing them should be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to those who may want to follow a similar path.
“It is a clear case of organised crime to have individuals who benefitted from illegality now rising to probe the fact that their illegality is being exposed.
“We call on all the anti-graft agencies and security agencies to, in line with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari, immediately proceed and go ahead with their investigation of the matter.”
The group said they are in full support of the forensic audit instituted by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs because it had exposed those who had benefitted in the corruption that had festered in the NDDC.
In the document displayed by the Youths Council, Senator Akpabio was quoted as having said that his letter became necessary because “the investigating Committee on NDDC refused and/or neglected to give me the opportunity to explain that reference to most NDDC contracts yearly being awarded since 2001 from the records allegedly to members of the National Assembly in both Chambers were done without the knowledge of the alleged beneficiaries.”
“However, the two chairmen of the Committees in both Chambers had adequate knowledge,” Akpabio reportedly stated.
Akpabio’s letter as released by the Youth Council further read: “To show you some typical examples, herewith attached are documents showing nature of contracts amount of such contracts (in some cases), date of awards and beneficiaries some were awarded to the two chairmen of both committees in the House of Representatives and the Senate, respectively, serving at the period of the awards (Annexures ‘B’, ‘C’ and ‘D’).”
