EXPOSED: PLOT BY GODSWILL AKPABIO TO INSTALL A SOLE ADMINISTRATOR IN THE NDDC UNCOVERED

"Reject any maneuvering for the extension of the tenure of the present corrupt management or any attempt by the Minister to bring in a Sole Administrator. It is not known to law".... NYDF Urges Buhari.

A group, under the aegis of the Niger Delta Youth Forum, has raised an alarm following the unearthing of a plot in the corruption-ridden Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC by the Senator Godswill Akpabio led Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, to surreptitiously, impose a Sole Administrator to run the affairs of the Commission.

The NYDF, in a statement signed by its Spokesman, Bishop C. Johnson, disclosed that "there is an urgent need to alert the government, the National Assembly and the public on the latest sinister plot of the Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Sen Godswill Akpabio, to plunge the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC into another round of crisis for his selfish interest by appointing a Sole Administrator to run the Commission against the laws setting up the interventionist agency".

According to the NYDF, "Reports of a certain court order ‘sacking’ the present Interim Management Committee, IMC members of the NDDC surfaced in the media on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020".

"It is curious to note that the said order ‘restraining the IMC members from performing the functions of the board’ of NDDC was given on the 27th day of October, 2020 but kept under wraps for over one month, only to be let out few days to the next hearing date", the statement read.

While motives remain a source of concern, We have, again, stumbled on a sinister plan by Senator Godswill Akpabio to surreptitiously bring in the present Acting Executive Director of Finance, Effiong Akwa, as a Sole Administrator of the Commission using the suspicious judgement to pave way. If allowed, this singular step shall sink the commission further and ruin the chances of rewriting the dark history of the commission under the embattled minister whose only achievement thus far has been corruption and more corruption. This is against the law. 

"Over 187 Billion Naira has so far been squandered under the Minister without anything to show for it. In an unprecedented manner, monies are moved out of the coffers of the commission for non-existing jobs, contract scams etc".

"Effiong, the Ag. Executive Director of Finance, was appointed in August in a controversial circumstance. He was a Personal Assistant on Finance matters to a former MD of the Commission between 2013 and 2015, a period that was reportedly characterized by a mindless looting of resources of the Commission". 

"The Managing Director in question, Bassey Dan-Abia, a former Commissioner in Akpabio’s cabinet in Akwa Ibom state was nominated by same Godswill Akpabio to head the commission. His tenure was heavily tainted with allegations of corruption". 

That has become the hallmark of Senator Godswill Akpabio wherever he goes directly or indirectly. Another Akwa-Ibom man, Nsima U. Ekere, was also sworn-in as a substantive Managing Director few months after.

Recall, the first memo written by Akpabio few hours after resumption of office as a Minister was for the take-over of the NDDC, directly demanding the powers of the President against the position of the law. Nevertheless, he had his way. 

"It will be unthinkable to allow him hoodwink the nation into another round of his circus to further his impunity against the law setting up the NDDC. The only way forward is the immediate constitution of a substantive board answerable to the President and the people, not some Akpabio’s puppets turn personal stealing machine", the NYDF stated.

"We call on the President to reject any maneuvering for the extension of the tenure of the present corrupt management or any attempt by the Minister to bring in a Sole Administrator. It is not known to law".

There is no other better time for the National Assembly to rise in defense of its functions and our laws, the tax payers look forward to this institution for hope, if any.

Bishop C. Johnson

Spokesperson, Niger Delta Youths Forum