Acting Managing Director of Interim Management Committee (IMC) the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei and his team on Thursday walked out on the House of Representatives Committee on NDDC.
He said he and the team were not prepared to make any presentation before the committee.
Pondei had objected to Chairman of the Committee, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, presiding over the investigative hearing, insisting he cannot preside over a matter in which he is an accused.
Members of the Committee, including Benjamin Kali, Ben Ibakpa and Shehu Koko, told the Acting MD that since there was no document before them, he is constitutionally bound to answer their queries.
While members were still making contribution on the issue, the Acting MD sought permission to leave and walked out before the committee could grant or reject his request.
Furious members of the Committee accused the Interim Management Committee of trying to frustrate legislative functions and ordered a warrant of arrest be issued against him.
The Committee also unanimously passed a vote of confidence on its Chairman.
Pondei revealed why he walked out on Representatives committee probe over N40 billion corruption allegation in the agency corruption.
Addressing the lawmakers before staging the walk-out, Mr Pondei said: “We in the NDDC are not comfortable with the Chairman of this committee, presiding over a matter.
“He is an accused party, the NDDC has over time accused Rep. Olubumi Tunji-Ojo of different crimes against the NDDC and he has responded in the press.
“He is an interested party and we do not believe that the NDDC can have justice because he cannot seat on his own case.
“We have no issue of appearing, we appeared before the Senate Ad hoc committee and as long as he remains, we will not make any presentation,” he said.
Former NDDC boss, Pondei’s predecessor, Mr Joi Nunieh, recently ran amok over corruption and sexual allegations against Senator Godswill Akpabio, the allegations Senator Akpabio roundly dismissed as false and lies.
In another development, there was a mild drama in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital as Governor Nyesom Wike reported prevented the purported arrest of the erstwhile NDDC Acting MD, Mr Joi Nunieh at her Port Harcourt residence
