Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung has rejected allegations of his complicity in a controversial N128million contract awarded by his ministry in November, 2013.
The minister bared his mind on the allegation through his spokesperson, Nneka Anibeze. He recalled that “the contract was said to have been transacted between 27th, November 2013 and October 2015 by the then Ministry of Youth Development while I took an oath of office in November 2015.
“I did not mandate anybody to collect anything from anybody and so, not in the position to defend it,” he said.
The reaction came on the heels of threat of arrest by the House of Representative over his refusal to appear the House Committee on Public Petitions investigating the contract bribery scam. Chairman of the committee, Nkem Abonta, had warned that the Sports Minister could be arrested for failing to honour seven initiations extended to him to appear before it.
However, Dalung claimed he had never been invited by the committee in respect of the allegations and that his alleged refusal to honour the said invitation was surprising as he had since proceeded on medical. He challenged the Committee to present proof of summon.
“The threat is too harsh and lacks the flavour of legislative compliments because choosing a period of my absence on medical vacation is the worst form of injustice against humanity.
“As a law abiding citizen, I will never disregard invitation from NASS. If I have genuine reasons for not making it, I will communicate formally,” the Minister said.
