Nigeria’s House of Representatives members has given Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, two days  to name the members of the National Assembly who got contracts from the Niger Delta Development Commission, as he claimed.

 

Akpabio had claimed on Monday that 60 percent of the contracts awarded by the commission were given to members of the Senate and the House or Representatives.

 

He spoke in Abuja while being grilled by the House Committee on the NDDC, which has been investing allegations of financial malpractice at the commission, which is under the supervision of the ministry headed by Akpabio.

 

Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, who ruled on a matter of privileges brought on Tuesday by Minority leader, Ndudi Elumelu, said the Minister, who alleged 60 percent of contracts from the NDDC were given to members of the National Assembly, should publish the benefiting lawmakers, particularly the current members of the Assembly.

 

Akpabio is a former Senator, who was made a minister after he lost election to return to the Senate last year. He is also a former governor of Akwa Ibom State.

 

Gbajabiamila added that the names of the benefiting memebrs’  companies and the contracts awarded to them should be published, failing which the minister would face the wrath of the House.