Our Reporter
Nigerians have condemned the Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei led Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for staging a walk out on the members of House of Representatives Committee on NDDC on Thursday.
It will be recalled that the House of Representatives had set up an Investigative Probe Panel to probe the allegations of misappropriation and unappropriated spending of the sum of N81.5 billion by the NDDC Interim Management Committee members.
An Abuja based constitutional lawyer, Dr Kayode Ajulo, has described the walk out staged by the IMC members on the House of Representatives Committee on NDDC as a sacrilegious act and the height of rascality by any set of government appointees.
Ajulo also described the IMC walk out as the worst form of disrespect and insult meted to a constituted authority and an arm government like the National Assembly. He therefore said that the the Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei led Interim Management Committee have brought shame to the hard stance of President Buhari against corruption and lawlessness.
“It is most unfortunate that the members of IMC have literally insulted President Buhari and the ruling APC by walking out on a duly constituted committee of the National Assembly.
No government appointee has ever committed this sacrilegious act since we returned to democracy in 1999. It is highly disturbing that the IMC members could have the effrontery to walk out the House of Representatives Investigative Probe Panel after being alleged of N81.5 billion financial malfeasance”.
Barrister Ajulo has therefore urged President Buhari to immediately bring an end to the reign of impunity in the Niger Delta Ministry as well as the Niger Delta Development Commission. He described as worrisome a situation where a committee that is expected to salvage the issue corruption in the NDDC has rather chosen to worsen the already pathetic situation.
“This is a situation of adding insult to injury. A committee that was constituted to salvage the problem of endemic corruption in the NDDC has instead chosen to worsen the situation. As if this wasn’t enough, the same set of people have gone ahead to desecrate the National Assembly by walking out on the House of Representatives Committee on NDDC”.
The brilliant lawyer has also urged members of the NDDC IMC to take a cue from Festus Keyamo who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and a Minister of the Federal Republic. Ajulo emphasized that notwithstanding the level of disagreement that ensued when the minister recently appeared before the NASS, he added that Keyemo still waited till the session was concluded, accord the legislator their respect by taking a bow before he was to later issue a press statement in which the contending issue was placed in the right perspective.
Meanwhile, Ajulo has insinuated that the IMC members were out to derail and rubbish the anti-corruption campaign of President Buhari. He added that the IMC members represent the worst thing to have happened to the sanctity of the legislative arm of government since the nation returned to democracy in 1999.
Similarly, Edo based human rights lawyer, Mr. Godwin Ojeh, has on Friday urged President Buhari immediately remove Godswill Akpabio as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs as well as the members of Interim Management Committee of the NDDC. He added that the ongoing probe of the expenditures made by the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by the National Assembly was not a witch-hunt.
Ojeh, who made the disappointment of concerned citizens of the volatile Niger Delta known in the reckless attitude of Interim Management Committee members of the NDDC through a letter written to President Buhari, which dated July 17, 2020.
The letter read in part , ” It is no gain saying that if the Interim Management Committee continue to handle the affairs of the NDDC in the manner antithetical to the fight against corruption and lack of regards to constituted authority, the resultant effects on the on the Commission will be worse than the disgraceful image which destroyed its predecessor, the Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC, whose name became synonymous with contract scam”.
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Also, Ojeh equally expressed worry on the alleged squandering of the humongous sum of N40 billion naira in just three months by the IMC members. He also lamented the shameless act of the IMC members to frustrate the Investigative Probe Panel of the National Assembly.
“It is worrisome that the Interim Management Committee has perfected the acts of frustrating the major purpose for which it was set up. For instance, the Interim Management Committee which ought to encourage the National Assembly’s resolve and efforts to shed light on the alleged squandering of the whooping sum of N40billion (Forty Billion Naira) within a period of 3 (three months is ‘’crying foul’’ that the legislative inquiries are designed to ‘’witch-hunt’’ its members and associates”.
Meanwhile, Ojeh has made a passionate appeal to President Buhari to immediately show Godswill Akapbio and members of the Interim Management Committee the exit door for the sake of restoring sanity to the Niger Delta Development Commission.
“We passionately appeal to Your Excellency to curb the excesses of Mr. Akpabio by relieving him of Ministerial Duties of the Niger Delta. He has not been a good example for our people. The trending exchange of immoral accusations in the social media which focuses on the minister is a dent on the image of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“It will also be a right step in the right direction to take necessary steps to end the corruption in NDDC by removing from the Interim Management Committee”.
Moreso, members the House of Representatives Committee on NDDC has passed a vote of confidence on its Chairman, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, while the committee has also issued a warrant of arrest against members of Interim Management Committee of the NDDC.
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