Akpabio Denies Saying 60 Per Cent Of NDDC Contracts Given To Lawmakers

He said the only reference he made to 60 per cent during his presentation before the NDDC committee on Monday was in response to a question by a member of the committee.

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, has denied accusing members of the National Assembly of collecting 60 per cent of contracts from the Niger Delta Development Commission.

Akpabio in a letter read on the floor of the House during plenary by Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, claimed to have referred to old contracts awarded by the NDDC, which had not been paid for and some of which are part of the constituency projects of the lawmakers.

He said the only reference he made to 60 per cent during his presentation before the NDDC committee on Monday was in response to a question by a member of the committee.

According to the minister, the member had sought to know whether a medical director can serve as an Executive Director, Project, to which he responded by saying that since 50 to 60 per cent of NDDC contracts were medical-related, there was nothing wrong in a medical director serving in that capacity.

The Speaker said Akpabio’s response would be referred to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to look at the merits of his arguments.

The House had earlier initiated moves to sue Akpabio for perjury.