Gbajabiamila gives Akpabio 48 hours to reveal names of lawmakers awarded NDDC contracts

By our reporter| The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Tuesday gave the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, 48 hours to publish the names of lawmakers who were awarded contracts by Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as well as the details of the contracts.

The Speaker who issued the ultimatum during plenary, a day after the minister claimed that most of the contracts awarded by the NDDC went to lawmakers, said, should the minister fail to publish the names, the House will employ the full wrath of the law to ensure he does so.

Akpabio during a combative appearance before the House Committee on NDDC on Monday,claimed that the lawmakers were “the greatest beneficiaries” of NDDC contracts.

Asked how the lawmakers benefitted, he said, “I just told you that we have records to show that most of the contracts in the NDDC are given out to members of the National Assembly”.

The Speaker who accused Senator Akpabio of pulling the oldest trick in the book with the claims believes the minister owes it the country to publish the names in the interest of transparency.