The Rainbow
The House of Representatives on Thursday issued a warrant of arrest acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, to compel him to appear before the lawmakers and make a proper submission.
The order was made after a team of top officials of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) led by Pondei walked out on lawmakers at an investigative hearing put together by the House of Representatives.
The Commission refused to make presentations before the House Committee on NDDC on the premise that the chairman of the committee is an interested party in the case.
Pondei, whose team is seeking the committee chairman to recuse himself from presiding, said the Commission could not partake in an investigative hearing which is being presided over by the Chairman of the Committee Mr.Olubunmi Ojo, who has been accused by the NDDC of hijacking the Commission’s projects.
Pondei fears that was the NDDC would not get a fair hearing with chairman presiding.
But the lawmakers were angered by the action of the NNDC team and issued a warrant of arrest compelling Professor Pondei to appear before the lawmakers and make a proper submission.
The lawmakers are arguing that the NNDC cannot dictate to them how they conduct their business.
Spokesman of the House, Rep. Benjamin Kalu (APC- Abia), said that the lawmakers are fed up with a spate of walking out on it sessions by the appointees of the executive arm and they were resolved to operationalise the instruments of law available to them. Kalu spoke in a Channels Television programmes, Politics Today.
