NDDC’s Forensic Audit ‘A Waste Of Resources’ With Akpabio, IMC Still In Charge – PDP Tells Buhari

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has described as waste of resources the forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Mr Godswill Akpabio and the current Interim Management Committee of the NDDC still holding sway at the helm of affairs in the corruption ridden commission.

The PDP said that if President Muhammadu Buhari fails to suspend Akpabio now with the huge fraud allegations hanging on his neck in the NDDC as well as disband the IMC, he should just perish the thoughts of having a credible result from the probe.

The PDP, said that until Akpabio is either suspended or redeployed, Buhari’s forensic audit of NDDC would continue to be a smokescreen and another method to loot the commission and detract Nigerians.

The opposition party noted that Akpabio’s immediate suspension following the huge fraud allegations against him in the most reported corruption saga rocking the NDDC, is the only way out. 

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had in a recent statement by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, ordered speedy and coordinated investigation of the NDDC following reports of huge corruption scandal rocking the agency which had triggered a series of drama, blames, and counter-accusations among stakeholders.

According to President Buhari, the coordinated investigation would ensure that the administration’s effort to bring sanity, transparency and accountability to the management of the large amount of resources dedicated to development of the Niger Delta sub-region is not derailed.

Shehu quoted President Buhari as saying that he was determined to get to the root of the problem undermining the development of the Niger Delta and its peoples in spite of enormous national resources voted year after year for this singular purpose.

According to the presidential directive, auditing firms and investigative agencies working in collaboration with National Assembly Committees to resolve the challenges in the NDDC must initiate actions in a time-bound manner and duly inform the Presidency of the actions being taken.

But the PDP, in a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said that nothing tangible would come out of the forensic audit ordered by Mr. Buhari if the NDDC’s IMC and Akpabio continue to supervise the exercise.

The party demanded President Buhari to immediately disband the corruption ridden Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC where officials have been fingered to engage in unbridled looting of funds meant for the development of the area.

The PDP says with the unearthing of rampant corruption, treasury looting, recklessness and manifest public unruliness of the NDDC management, the Minister and the IMC have become a huge embarrassment not only to the Buhari administration but also to the Niger Delta region and the nation at large.  

The party insisted that though President Buhari has ordered a “speedy and coordinated investigation” of the activities of the NDDC management, such an important probe cannot yield any credible result as long as Senator Akpabio and indicted IMC are still in charge in the commission. 

The PDP stated that the immediate suspension of the minister and members of the IMC is the only way to ensure that such individuals do not interfere with investigations or tamper with vital documents. 

The party believes that the suspension should be a prelude to unhindered investigation and prosecution of all those indicted in the wholesale fraud in the NDDC which has hindered the commission from delivering its mandate to the people of the Niger Delta region under the current administration.

“Our party invites President Buhari to note that already, there are manifest efforts to frustrate investigations into the NDDC activities as witnessed in the attempt to abduct and silence the whistle blower, former acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Joi Nunieh, to prevent her from further exposing the alleged corrupt conduct of the embattled minister and the IMC”.

The PDP stated that Nigerians are also aware of the condemnable conduct of the current acting Managing Director of the indicted IMC, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, who walked out on the House of Representatives committee investigating the corruption in the NDDC, ostensibly to frustrate the speedy and coordinated audit of the activities of the IMC.

Meanwhile, the main opposition party, in a strong term, has condemned the invasion of Ms. Nunieh’s residence by security operatives in an apparent attempt to abduct her on alleged orders from above and urged the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to fish out all those behind the ugly incidence.

The PDP also urges the IGP to provide adequate protection for Ms. Nunieh and other witnesses in the probe from the corrupt cabal in the NDDC who have shown to be desperate to silence witnesses in order to cover their trails.