Gbenro Adesina
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the revelations and the exposure of the former Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Joy Nunieh regarding the high level of corruption the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio is allegedly involved in as huge and shocking.
Akpabio, an astute politician, a former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, served as Senate’s Minority Leader.
The party said the shocking details of allegation by Nunieh, of massive stealing, manipulation of budget processes, victimisation and implication of innocent Nigerians and fetish practices by corrupt officials, allegedly spearheaded by Senator Akpabio, have exposed how ministries, agencies and departments (MDAs) were run under President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
It observed that the silence and inaction by the Presidency and the leadership of All Progressive Congress (APC) since the uncovering of the fraud in the NDDC signpost complicity at the highest levels and validate public stance that treasury looting and cover up for corrupt persons were normal official statecraft and manifesto of the Buhari administration.
PDP stated, “Nigerians are still in a state of shock over reports of how the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Akpabio, allegedly bullied officials to pillage the Commission’s foreign currency account; how the laid down procedures of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) are allegedly circumvented to siphon unapproved budgets as well as how innocent workers and federal legislators, who are averse to corrupt practices, were victimised, implicated and even harassed with fetish practices”.
The party maintained in a statement, “The allegation by the former NDDC MD that a certain NDDC top notch said he can kill if Senator Akpabio asks him to do so, shows the level of recklessness and the victimisation in MDAs under the rule. More distressing is that the Presidency had remained silent even when the embattled minister has not provided any concrete defence to the allegations beyond personal attacks on the whistle blower”.
Noting that any credible administration would have made its position known on such a grievous matter, PDP charged the Presidency to speak out on the issue, particularly, given the delicate nature of the Niger Delta, and take steps to investigate and prosecute all those involved in the alleged fraud.
In the light of the development, the main opposition party in the country demanded the stepping aside of Senator Akpabio, asking him submit himself for investigation over the weighty allegations against him.
The party pointed out that Nigerians would recall that it had in April, alerted of massive looting in the NDDC and called for investigation, which was however not addressed by the government.
It added, “Our party had also alerted that the NDDC management has not been able to give cogent explanation to the reported Lassa fever contract fraud through which over N4 billion NDDC fund was alleged to have been frittered on hazy procurement deals. This is in addition to alleged N5.5 billion COVID-19 scandal which trails reports that the NDDC had already spent over N1.045 billion purportedly for supply of kits and palliatives to Nigerians in nine states”.
However, Senator Akpabio has reacted to the series of allegations levied against him describing them as untrue.
He denied requesting and executing NDDC projects worth N500 million and described as false allegations that the Commission’s interim management committee mismanaged N40 billion between October 2019 and May 2020.
