Nigerian House of Representative says it is initiating a
criminal complaint of perjury and civil defamation law suit against NDDC
Minister Akpabio.In a tweet this
morning the Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila stated:
NDDC Minister Godswill Akpabio
“Last Tuesday I issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Minister
of Niger Delta Affairs to substantiate his allegation that over 60% (sixty per
cent) of contracts awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)
went to members of the @nassnigeria.
The Speaker further tweeted:
“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.”
Apparently, since Akpabio has not complied with the request
of the speaker, the Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila further tweeted:
“This morning, I asked the Clerk of @HouseNGR 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”
Read the full Statement of Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila on this matter below:
---------------------
WE ARE SUING AKPABIO - REPS
Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila
Last Tuesday I issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Minister of
Niger Delta Affairs to substantiate his allegation that over 60% (sixty per
cent) 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 (Majority Leader) 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.
Thank you.
God bless you all and God bless the Federal Republic of
Nigeria.
The House of Representative of the Nigerian National Assembly has been holding hearings designed to probe the activities of NDDC. Conference room 231 at the New Building of the House of Representative has become a venue of heated dialogue and intense dramatic moments watched my millions of Nigerians on television. The hearing was supposed to be a fact finding hearing regarding allegations and counter allegations of corruption and misappropriation of budgeted NDDC funds. However the whole process of the investigation which was supposed to last for two days was extended to four days and has assumed an adversarial atmosphere.
During the Committee Hearings and Minister Akpabio’s presentation to the committee, he attempted to absolve himself of the numerous allegations of corruption leveled against him by strategically implicating members of the legislature. In making his presentation, it became clearly obvious that the Chairman of the hearing committee and other legislators’ were deliberately interjecting into his presentation in order to stop him from talking. Nevertheless, Akpabio insisted on being heard and stated in the hearing that NNDC records shows that most of the contracts of NNDC were given out to National Assembly members.
Earlier Akpabio had challenged the approach in the hearing as unfair, noting that some people were given one and a half hours to talk while he (Minister Akpabio) was told he had only ten minutes.
Earlier also during the hearing and the interview of Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, the conditions of overcrowding and heat in the room became unbearable and caused him to suddenly slump and for a moment he was unresponsive and commotion ensued in the hearing room. Professor Pondei was later removed and taken to the hospital after the fainting episode.
.
See the full Akpabio Committee Interview: Heated Dialogue As Akpabio Alleges Lawmakers Benefit From NDDC Projects
See Professor Pondei suddenly slump and become unresponsive for a moment as he was being interviewed.
Ikot Ekpene APC Celebrates Godswill Akpabio defection from PDP as Governor Emmanuel Udom removes detractors from his cabinet.
ICMS,Inc Reports
By Tom Okure, Ph.D
__________________
The All Progressives Congress (APC) political party of Nigeria rolled out a large welcome celebration today in Akwa Ibom State’s Ikot Ekpene township stadium to welcome Senator Godswill Akpabio, who is formally defecting from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and joining the APC.
Senator Akpabio is defecting and carrying along with him many prominent Akwa Ibom State PDP chieftains to the APC. According to news media sources, the list of who is who among the defectors to APC include some members of the State House of Assembly and:
“former works commissioner in the state, Mr Don Etim, former senator Effiong Bob, Leader of the House, Mr Udo Kieran Akpan, former Speaker and House of Reps member for Etinan Federal Constituency, Mr Sam Ikon, respective House of Reps members from Abak and Essien Edim/Etim Ekpo/Ika, Mr Emmanuel Akpan and Mr Emmanuel Ekon, former Information Commissioner, Mr Aniekan Umanah, state House of Assembly members, Nse Ntuen, Usoro Akpanusoh, Aniekan Uko, Aniekan Bassey, Idongesit Ntekpere, Uduak Ududoh, Mark Esset, among others."
The full impact of Akpabio’s defection on the current governance structure in Akwa Ibom State and the competitiveness of PDP against the APC in the upcoming 2019 elections is unclear. One thing however is clear, and that is, the unleashing of anger, desperation, fear and political uneasiness among the political elite class in the state.
Senator Akpabio with a APC Chieftain Bola Tinubu after news
broke of his defection and acceptance into APC
One can feel the sense of betrayal, confusion, suspicion and anger among the PDP political base across the state who for the first time in many years feel vulnerable and fear that the invasion of APC into the state political fabric has finally taken root.
A jubilant crowd of both PDP and APC supporters welcomes Akpabio back to
Akwa Ibom State in Uyo upon on his return en route to Ikot Ekpene to
announce his formal defection from PDP
Under the present circumstances, the existing PDP chieftains in the state have become alert, and everyone is advising Governor Udom to rid the PDP party hierarchy and the state government of all Akpabio’s moles embedded within the state governance structure prior to the next election.
Governor Emmanuel Udom Cleanses the State Executive Council of Detractors
In response to Akpabio’s defection, Emmanuel Udom's Akwa Ibom state government has taken some immediate decisive actions to rally his political support base, ensure loyalty among the remaining political leadership and eliminate any potential detractors within the current administration. The defection of Akpabio provides Udom with the unique opportunity to finally get rid of his political opponents in his government and the image that has trailed his political career as a political puppet of Senator Akpabio who was not elected by the masses but installed by Akpabio and beholden to him.
Immediately affected in the governance structure cleanup exercise by Udom are the removal from office and the State Executive Council with immediate effect of two prominent state commissioners.
Mr. Ibanga Akpabio dismissed as AKS Commissioner for
“gross misconduct and non-compliance with public service rules.”
Mr. Ibanga Akpabio from Ikot Ekpene who is a younger brother of Senator Godswill Akpabio and Mr. Victor Antai from Oron. According to the State Government press release, their dismissal from office was necessary due to “gross misconduct and non-compliance with public service rules.” Mr. Ibanga Akpabio served as the State Commissioner for Labour, Productivity and Manpower Development.
Mr. Victor Antai also dismissed as AKS Commissioner for “gross misconduct and non-compliance with public service rules."
Mr. Victor Antia served as the commissioner in charge of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Mr. Victor Antai is alleged to have welcomed Senator Akpabio in Ibom International Airport upon his return to the state following the news of Senator Akpabio’s defection from the PDP to the APC.
Akpabio in preparation for his formal defection from the PDP formally tendered his resignation as senate minority leader in the National Assembly. Akpabio's resignation has further fueled rumors about his political ambitions and intention, perhaps to take over the national assembly senates leadership under the banner of the APC. Senator Murray Bruce, one of Akpabio’s colleagues who represents Rivers state on
Tuesday called Akpabio a traitor, and blamed him in part for the undemocratic siege
of the National Assembly by the DSS.
Read more about Akpabios defection from PDP to APC
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