Godswill Akpabio
Mr Monday Ubani, a lawyer and governance expert says lawmakers cannot initiate any criminal prosecution or civil prosecution against the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio when he has names of members of the present House that have been indicted.
He said this when he made an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
“We are waiting for them (the House) to initiate criminal prosecution against Godswill Akpabio; when they now try it, they will get to know the names of those that are there with them,” Ubani said.
According to him, the lawmakers cannot initiate any criminal prosecution or civil prosecution when the minister has names of members of the present House that have been indicted.
Ubani alleged that the annexure attached to the minister’s letter to the House contained the names of the lawmakers, including the chairmen of the Senate and House committees investigating the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
He said, “Both committee chairmen; there are other members of the House that are there, including some powerful politicians.
“Let me tell you what happened in the House. In the morning, the Speaker was saying that he had referred this particular matter to the Clerk, asking that lawyers should be engaged to initiate criminal perjury and civil defamation against Akpabio when he has not gotten the letter.”
“The moment the letter came that has this list of all the members that are implicated, remember how the Speaker ended? He said ‘this matter is now rested; I will now refer this matter to the Ethics and Privileges Committee’ which means this matter has died a natural death,” Ubani added.
