The House of Representatives has resolved to sue the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, for criminal perjury and civil defamation.
Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this at the commencement of plenary on Thursday.
The speaker said the decision was sequel to the failure of the minister to publish names of members of the National Assembly whom he alleged have been benefitting 60 percent of contracts in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
He said he has directed the Clerk of the House to engage the services of legal counsel, instruct them to initiate a criminal complaint of perjury against the minister and to explore the possibility of a civil defamation suit against the minister.
Akpabio had on Monday, while appearing before the House of Representatives Committee on NDDC investigating financial malfeasance in the commission, alleged that 60 percent of contracts in NDDC went to federal legislators.
“Just look at your chairman (Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo),” Akpabio told the probe panel. “I have records to show that most of the NDDC contracts were given out to the National Assembly members. The two chairmen of both committees can explain to you.”
Following this, the House on Tuesday gave the minister a 48-hour ultimatum to publish the names of members of the 9th National Assembly who got 60 percent of contracts from NDDC.
“Last Tuesday I issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs to substantiate his allegation that over 60 percent of contracts awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) went to members of the National Assembly. I said then that the Honourable Minister owed it to himself and the country to provide evidence to support these serious allegations,” Gbajabiamila said on Thursday.
But the minister has failed to respond to the request, Gbajabiamila said.
“Therefore, I must conclude that his statement intended solely to gaslight the nation to avoid accountability for the evident maladministration and malfeasance in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC),” the speaker said.
“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.
“The House of Representatives is a public trust placed in our care for the duration of our term in office. We must prove ourselves worthy of this public trust or risk the censure of history. Therefore, we will resist every attempt to undermine this institution, whether such attempts come from within or from outside. This House will live up to the highest expectations of the Nigerian people. This is our commitment, and we will not fail,” he said.
