Senate summons N/Delta Minister over N480bn NNDC fund

The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions yesterday summoned the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Umana Umana, over an alleged plot to siphon N480bn intervention fund belonging to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). 

Addressing reporters in Abuja, the chairman of the committee, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, said: “There’s N480bn fund in a CBN account. Umana Umana is said to have perfected ways to present some new projects to President Muhammadu Buhari to approve it for him to start using the money to implement projects not appropriated by National Assembly.”

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He said the minister was also summoned over allegations that he sacked over 100 NDDC workers on assumption of office. 

Akinyelure asked Umana to appear before the committee on November 10 to respond to the allegations. 

In another development, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions yesterday reopened a petition against the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, over alleged assault of Clement Sargwak, a security guard.  

Sargwak had petitioned the Senate, alleging that he was assaulted by Umar and a policeman attached to him after he informed him (Umar) that his car was wrongly parked at Banex Plaza, Wuse 2, Abuja, on March 29, 2021.  

The CCT chairman had appeared before the  Senate committee probing the assault case once and had told the committee, through his lawyers, that he was already in court to stop the investigation. 

But the court had held that the Senate had the locus standi to proceed with the case.  

Briefing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, the chairman of the committee, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, said: “Rather than appear before our committee, Umar went to court claiming that the Senate had no right to put him on trial. 

“The Senate suspended the hearing on the matter till the outcome of the judgment. The High Court has now ruled the Senate has the right to continue the case. 

“The Senate decided to reopen the case because it was a declarative judgment. He was to appear before us today, but instead came with court papers claiming that he had appealed the judgment.”