House Of Representatives To Sue Akpabio
Members of the House of Representatives have resolved to sue the Niger Delta Affairs Minister, Godswill Akpabio.
The decision to sue the Minister is because of Akpabio’s claim that members of the National Assembly are major beneficiaries of over 60 per cent of contracts awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
Earlier, the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, has issued 24 to 48 hours ultimatum to the Minister to publish names of beneficiaries of the NDDC contract.
The two days have elapsed and the Minister is yet to comply with the ultimatum, hence the House resolved to seek redress in the court.
Speaker of the House, Gbajabiamila in a tweet said he had on Thursday, July 23 asked the Clerk of the house to engage the services of legal counsel, and instruct them to initiate a criminal complaint of perjury against the Minister.
He added that the House will instruct counsel to explore the possibility of a civil defamation suit against Akpabio.
Gbajabiamila stressed that the House of Representatives is a place where public trust is placed in the care of the lawmakers for the duration of their term in office.
The lawmaker added that they need to prove themselves worthy of the public trust or risk the censure of history.
He added that the lawmakers will resist every attempt to undermine the House of representatives, either from within or from outside.