Member representing Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency of Delta State, Rep. Nichols Mutu, has denied being awarded contracts by the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Mutu in a personally signed statement sent to Frontline News Online on Monday said it was the responsibility of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies to award jobs to contractors.
The ranking member of the House of Representatives insisted that he has never benefitted from NDDC through contracts directly or by proxy.
The statement read in part: “The responsibility for contract award is that of the Executive arm of government and in this case, the Board and Management of the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC)
“During my time as the Chairman of the NDDC, I did not participate in the process of contract awards in the commission and had no influence over the process as the bulk rest squarely with the Commission
“I am not an NDDC contractor, neither has any company owned by me been awarded any contract by the NDDC”.
Mutu further called on his constituents and members of the public to disregard the publications where he is listed as one of the members of the National Assembly who were awarded contracts by the agency.
The Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, last Thursday announced that the House will sue minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio for perjury over claims that 60 percent of Niger Delta Development Commission contracts were awarded to members of the National Assembly.
The minister’s letter to the House was later read by the Speaker on the same day in which he denied accusing lawmakers of cornering contracts. Despite backtracking on his comments at the investigative hearing by the House, through the letter sent to the Speaker, Akpabio was reported in the media as listing some lawmakers as beneficiaries of contracts from the NDDC.
Rep. Mutu is one of the lawmakers who have swiftly dissociated themselves from the list ascribed to the minister.
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