The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has denied accusing members of the National Assembly of getting 60 percent of the projects awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Akpabio made this known in a letter he sent to the House of Representatives and read by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila on the floor of the House on Thursday.
The minister said he only mentioned 60 percent once in response to a question posed by a member of the House Adhoc Committee on NDDC during a hearing in which he made a presentation earlier in the week.
He said the question bordered on whether a Medical Director of the intervention agency could serve as the Executive Director, Project.
In the letter, Akpabio said he answered in the affirmative and added that since 50 to 60 percent of NDDC contracts were medical-related, there was nothing stopping the Medical Director from filling the role of Executive Director, Project.
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In a video of the hearing which circulated on Monday, the minister claimed that “most” of the projects awarded by the NDDC were awarded to National Assembly members.
Watch video:
As soon as Sen Godswill Akpabio started spilling the beans on National Assembly, Mr Chairman just went on the 'Issokay, Issokay, E don do' mode 🤣😋
NDDC💲 pic.twitter.com/emWmtaqhqU
— Káyọ̀dé Ògúndámisí (@ogundamisi) July 20, 2020
Apparently incensed by the claim, Gbajabiamila had given the minister 24 to 48 hours to substantiate the claim or get sued for defamation.