Acting NDDC MD, Pondei, walks out on Reps

NDDC-MD-KEMEBRADIKUMO-PONDEI

Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Prof Kemebrandikumo Pondei on Thursday walked out of the venue of an investigative hearing being held by the House of Representatives.

Pondei led members of the NDDC interim management committee to the hearing who also walked out of the venue.

The NDDC boss had demanded that the House committee chairman on NDDC, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, steps down following allegations of “crimes” against the commission.

The committee is probing the alleged mismanagement and illegal spending by the commission, especially a total sum of N81.5bn spent between January and July 2020.

Pondei and others left the building after the committee made up of seven members rejected his demand.

They urged him to petition relevant authorities for any infraction allegedly committed by Tunji-Ojo.

The committee threatened to issue a warrant of arrest against the NDDC management, saying they owe accountability to Nigerians.