Nigeria’s House of Representatives, on Thursday, took a decision to drag Godswill Akpabio Minister for Niger Delta Affairs before a Court of law, for making indicting comment against it.
While appearing before the House Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) probing the alleged financial recklessness on Monday, Akpabio had told the Committee that about 60% of total contracts at the NDDC were awarded to members of the National Assembly.
Irked by the comment, the lawmakers passed a resolution the next day, giving Akpabio 48 hours to make public, the names and details of such lawmakers who were beneficiaries of the contacts.
At the expiration of the 48-hour ultimatum, Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, in his opening speech at the plenary, ordered that the Minister be sued for making such “indicting” comment, which he has failed to substantiate.
Gbajabiamila recalled issuing a 48-hour ultimatum to Akpabio 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. The Honourable Minister has failed to respond to my request.
“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).
“In my time in the House of Representatives, I have held every leadership position from Minority Whip, through to Minority Leader, Leader of the House and now Speaker. 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 of the House of Representatives 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.
“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.”
While appearing before the House Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) probing the alleged financial recklessness on Monday, Akpabio had told the Committee that about 60% of total contracts at the NDDC were awarded to members of the National Assembly.
Irked by the comment, the lawmakers passed a resolution the next day, giving Akpabio 48 hours to make public, the names and details of such lawmakers who were beneficiaries of the contacts.
At the expiration of the 48-hour ultimatum, Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, in his opening speech at the plenary, ordered that the Minister be sued for making such “indicting” comment, which he has failed to substantiate.
Gbajabiamila recalled issuing a 48-hour ultimatum to Akpabio 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. The Honourable Minister has failed to respond to my request.
“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).
“In my time in the House of Representatives, I have held every leadership position from Minority Whip, through to Minority Leader, Leader of the House and now Speaker. 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 of the House of Representatives 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.
“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.”
from dailypost
Na guilty conscience dey worry dem
ReplyDeleteThey are not serious joor
DeleteStory, story.....STORY!!!
DeleteThieves
Deletechai😐
ReplyDeleteThey are all guilty... That house should be dissolved.
ReplyDeleteWhere's President Buhari?
That dog be looking like the reaction you get, when you give a naughty lastborn a "very dirty" slap after countless warnings.
ReplyDeleteEpic description.,.. hahahaha hahahaha
DeleteNothing will happen.
ReplyDeleteStella, you and this dog. Abeg I can't laugh jare.
ReplyDeleteDon't mind them, they're trying to act their part of the script
ReplyDeleteNaija and orishirishi drama. Na them sabi.
ReplyDelete"I recognise that the House has not always lived up to the high expectations of the Nigerian people.”
ReplyDeleteThank God they know that they don fuck up.
Sack all service chief
ReplyDeleteOga Buhari office responded to the call out
OYA BILLIONS MISSING IN NDDC
Oga buhari is silent.
Yeye dey do them
Why do I believe Akpabio will walk away.
ReplyDeleteIts possible
Delete*yimu*.... make una dey perform the drama dey go
ReplyDeleteInitial gragra. Femi Gbajabiamila forget this your shenanigans we know Akpabio will not have the guts to accuse the house in their presence if he's not sure of what he was saying. Why then was the Chairman shouting it's ok it's ok as if a witch is confessing and their leader wants to shout her up.
ReplyDelete🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂...This made me laugh eee. Choi
DeleteExactly!
DeleteWhy was the Chairman shouting 'Honourable Minister, It's ok...it's ok'
Telling them to remove his mic.
They are all Barawos
All this initial gragra will end soon.
ReplyDeleteThey know what they are doing.
Who are they deceiving?
ReplyDeleteBv Tbabe
Na still dem dem
ReplyDeleteAbracadabra government. Shameless stupid men. After going to clear most of the implicating docs. Why didn't you allow him talk the day he made the allegations in the house. You were shouting IT'S OKAY, OFF YOUR MIC and panicking like a mad man.. you were so confused on whether to slap the woman beside you to stop her interview questions or rush down and give Akpabio multiple blows to shut him up..
ReplyDeleteStupid HOR members.. may your generations pay for your sins in pain and bloods like you caused the common man
Waiting for them
ReplyDeleteWe know how it goes.... No be Nigeria again?
ReplyDeleteIs it only in Nigeria that members can sue for things said in the chamber's. He is just playing with the intelligence of Nigerians.
ReplyDeleteHe cannot do it.