By Kolawole Ojebisi
The National Assembly, comprised of the Senate and the House of Representatives, is set to pass its verdict on the alleged illegal spending and mismanagement by the Interim Management Commission of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC on Thursday (today).
It was gathered Wednesday that the House Committee on NDDC, which is investigating the commission and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, has scheduled submission of its report for Thursday.
It was learnt that the National Assembly decided to resolve most of its pending investigations because it is billed to embark on two-month annual recess on Thursday.
The committee had on Monday adjourned its investigation indefinitely
The probe of the alleged mismanagement of funds by officials of the NDDC, while it lasted, was characterized by the damning and the dramatic.
The climax of the probe saw acting Managing Director of NDDC, Prof. Daniel Pondei, collapse while being grilled by the panel.
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, in his case kept fobbing off serious questions with platitudes. The efforts culminated in dramatic engagement with the lawmakers, during which he accused members of the National Assembly of getting 60 per cent of contracts from the commission.
The House, at the plenary on Tuesday, had denied the allegation while the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, asked Akpabio to provide details of the contracts before 48 hours or face “the full wrath of the law.”
The ultimatum expires on Thursday (today), when the House would hold its last sitting for the legislative year.
It was gathered the reports by the panel would be ready for presentation at the last plenary today(Thursday) before it embarks on recess.
