Members of the House of Representatives Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have issued a warrant of arrest against the acting Managing Director of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC, Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, who walked out on them on Thursday July 16.
Pondei and his team were at the House to appear before the Committee investigating activities of the commission.
The House Committee on NDDC is probing the alleged mismanagement and illegal spending by the commission, especially a total sum of N81.5bn spent between January and July, 2020.
After the committee took the roll call of invitees and confirmed that the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, was absent, it called on the NDDC to make its presentation.
The Acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Prof Kemebrandikumo Pondei, who led members of the Interim Management Committee, demanded that the Chairman, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, steps down as he had also been accused of various “crimes” against the commission.
Also on Tuesday, July 14, a mild drama ensued at the committee hearing after Pondei failed to explain a N143 billion shortfall in the 2019 budget. Unable to answer the questions thrown at him by the Commission, Pondei asked for time to go back and address the N143 billion discrepancy raised by the committee members.
When he appeared before the house today, Pondei said he and his team members were not prepared to make any presentation before the committee. He objected to Chairman of the Committee, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, presiding over the investigative hearing, insisting he cannot preside over a matter in which he is also an accused.
While members were still making contributions on the issue, the Nation reports that Pondei sought permission to leave and walked out before the committee could grant or reject his request.
The furious lawmakers accused the Interim Management Committee of NDDC leader of trying to frustrate legislative functions and ordered a warrant of arrest be issued against him.