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Fred Itua, Abuja
Forty eight hours after the minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, named some senators and members of the House of Representatives involved in Niger Delta Development Commission’s (NDDC) alleged contract racketeering, a lawmaker has threatened to seek legal redress.
According to Akpabio, chairman of the Senate committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Peter Nwaoboshi got paid for 53 unexecuted projects. He also named James Manager who headed the same committee in previous Assemblies. Former Ethics committee chairman in the 8th Senate, Samuel Anyanwu, was named by Akpabio as one of the lawmakers.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Anyanwu said he has already put lawmakers in notice to approach a court and seek redress over what he described as “defamation of character.”
He said Akpabio who wrongly accused him must prove beyond doubts that he siphoned funds earmarked for execution of contracts.
He further argued that as a senator, he had the right to lobby for projects for his senatorial district. Anyanwu revealed that Akpabio was also a member of Niger Delta Affairs committee in the 8th Senate and also lobbied for contracts for his senatorial district.
He denied claims that he personally executed contracts as claimed by Akpabio. The former Imo East senator, said the claim was a cheap blackmail.
He said: “I have been calling Akpabio and he has not been picking up my calls. I wanted to personally hear from him before addressing the media. What he said were false and Nigerians should not take it seriously.
“I have met with my lawyers. I have instructed them to write to Akpabio to withdraw those claims and tender an apology. If he fails to do that, I’ll take the necessary steps and institute an action against him.
“My name has been maligned and this is unfair. Even the projects they’re referring to in my senatorial district have not been funded till date. How can they accuse me like that?”
