If the House of Representatives goes ahead with their threat to sue the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio for perjury over claims that 60% of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) contracts were awarded to members of the House and he is found guilty, he stands the risks of a fourteen-year jail term.
According to Section 118 of the Criminal Code in Nigeria, states that “Any person who commits perjury is liable to imprisonment for fourteen years”.
This development is coming on the heels of a declaration by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honorable Femi Gbajabiamila that the House will sue Akpabio for perjury over claims that 60% of NDDC contracts were awarded to members of the House.
Read also: NDDC’s 60% Contracts: Akpabio Backtracks On Claim, Writes Reps
The speaker announced this in a statement on Twitter that he has asked the Clerk of the house to begin legal proceedings and initiate a criminal complaint of perjury against the Minister and also a possible defamation suit.
“This morning, I asked the Clerk of House 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,” he said.
Recall that while responding to questions during a public hearing of the investigative panel which was set up to probe the corruption allegations against Akpabio and members of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC last Monday, the minister claimed members of the national assembly were the greatest beneficiaries of the Commission’s projects.
“So it is important that people who have gone to court, people who genuinely did jobs should be paid for their jobs. For me, I am not against it because, of course, who are even the greatest beneficiaries? It is you people,” Akpabio had said.
Reacting to the allegations, the Speaker of the House of Reps, Gbajabiamila on Tuesday, gave Akpabio a 48 hours ultimatum to produce a list of House members who obtained NDDC contracts. He also ordered Akpabio to reveal the sum of contracts, locations, and companies used to exercise the contracts, failure to comply which will be met with consequences.
Read also: Alleged Massive Corruption In NDDC: Group Wants Appointees Sacked, Calls For Prosecution
Following the expiration of the ultimatum, the House Speaker has now threatened legal actions against the Minister.
Recall also that the House is probing the Commission for the misappropriation of funds to the sum of N81.5billion.
