House of Representatives has ordered the arrest and probe the Acting Managing Director (MD) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Professor Kemebradikumo Daniel Pondei, for what it described as ‘contempt of the legislature’.
This comes after Professor Pondei and other top officials walked out of the venue of an investigative hearing being held by the House of Representatives.
The House Committee on NDDC is probing the alleged mismanagement and illegal spending by the commission, especially a total sum of N81.5bn spent between January and July 2020.
The Commission refused to make presentations before the House Committee on NDDC.
According to the acting managing director of the NDDC, Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, the Commission cannot partake an investigative hearing which is being presided over by the chairman of the committee, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who has been accused by the NDDC of hijacking the Commission’s projects.
Professor Pondei demanded that Mr Tunji-Ojo, steps down as he had also been accused of various “crimes” against the commission.
He was of the opinion that the NDDC will not get a fair hearing, as Mr Tunji-Ojo is also being investigated.
Several members of the committee, however, dismissed the request, asking the NDDC to petition the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or the Department of State Services (DSS) for any infraction allegedly committed by Mr Tunji-Ojo.
Members of the Committee, including Benjamin Kali, Ben Ibakpa and Shehu Koko, also told the Acting MD that since there was no document before them, he is constitutionally bound to answer their queries.
While members were still making contribution on the issue, the Acting MD and other members of the IMC stood up and walked out.
Following the NDDC’s action, the committee issued a warrant of arrest compelling Professor Pondei to appear before the lawmakers and make a proper submission.
