ASABA — THE on going face-off between the Delta State House of Assembly and the Commissioner representing Delta State in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Professor Victor Peretomode for refusing to appear before the House has worsened as the management of the commission has backed the commissioner, asking him not to honour the invitation. A letter from the Commission’s headquarters which was made availabale to Vanguard noted that the state assembly had no constitutional right whatsoever to summon any of its commissioners.
The House had during its sitting last Wednesday threatened to order the arrest of Professor Peretomode if he fails to appear before it tomorrow (Tuesday) having tolerated two previous refusal to honour its summons.
The latest summons for tomorrow, Tuesday September 14 will be the third attempt to bring the NDDC commissioner before the house and furnish it with a breakdown of both executed and earmarked projects in the state since inception.
According to a letter addressed to the Clerk of the Delta State House of Assembly, signed by the NDDC’s Director of Legal Services/Board Secretary, Mr. Eze A. Nwa-uwo, the commission stated that “while the commission appreciates the concern of the honourable house for the development of the region, we regret to inform the honourable House of Assembly that we find no constitutional or legal backing for its resolution inviting the honourabale commissioner representing Delta State on the governing board of NDDC to answer to the summons, for the purpose of supplying the requested information.
"For avoidance of doubt”, the letter went on, “the constitutional provisions of sections 103, 128 and 129 vis-a-vis the implications of the Exclusive and Concurrent legislative lists, to say the least are very clear on the limits of the oversight and investigative powers of the state House of Assembly.
“While the commission remains committed to forging cordial relationships with all institutions within the states in which she operates, in this circumstance, the honourable commissioner representing Delta State has been advised to respectively decline your (House) invitation”, adding that “you may wish to contact the National Assembly Committees on the Niger Delta or write to the Chairman, NDDC for any other clarification on this matter”, it stated.
Meanwhile investigation has shown that some of the members fell out with the Commissioner (Peretomode) over alleged scramble for contract awards.
A source close to the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt told our reporter yesterday that summons may be due to “personal grudges by a pocket of members whose incessant demands for more contracts might have been turned down by the commission as some of them are NDDC contractors who have not lived up to expectations on contracts awarded to them.”
