The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says its acting managing director, Daniel Pondei, was not fit to appear before a House of Representatives Committee investigating the agency.

Officials of the NDDC have been under probe for mismanagement of funds allocated to the commission.

Pondei caused a stir when he slumped during his appearance before the committee on Monday, July 20, 2020.

He was carried out of the room after he appeared to be in severe medical distress that required attention.

According to a statement signed by the commission’s spokesperson, Charles Odili, Pondei has been sick for the past two weeks, and ignored his doctor’s advise when he appeared at Monday’s investigative hearing.

He said Pondei was concerned that not appearing before the committee could be seen in public as an admission of guilt, and he wanted to clear his name.

“He thought he could make it through the hearing and take care of his health later.

“As it turned out, his doctors were right,” he said.

Odili disclosed that Pondei is in a stable condition at a clinic in Abuja, the capital city.

Before the commencement of Monday’s hearing, the panel revealed that Pondei had excused himself from making an appearance and complained of ill-health, an excuse the committee said it rejected.

Before his collapse, Pondei denied all corruption allegations against his team.

When he appeared before the committee last week, he walked out on the lawmakers, accusing the committee’s chairperson, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, of corruption.

Before the commencement of Monday’s session, Tunji-Ojo recused himself from the hearing, even though other members had previously passed a vote of confidence for him to continue.