NDDC: Akpabio faults NASS over probe timing

TRACKING ____Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has queried the decision of the National Assembly to probe five months of activities at the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, instead of embarking on holistic probing the Commission’s nineteen years of existence.

Senator Akpabio, who made the remarks, while receiving the officials of the Rivers State chapter of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Thursday, in Abuja, noted that the selected probe would not address the problem of commission, he described as a cesspit of corruption.

The immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom remarked further that the Commission got over N15 trillion in the last 19 years, to which nothing was on ground to justify the funds but that the legislators decided to probe five months activities at the commission.

Senator Akpabio, however, assured Niger Delta citizens and entire Nigerians that the outcome of the ongoing forensic audit would expose the magnitude of rots at the Commission.

According to him, “In the quest to reposition the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and bring development and succor to the Niger Delta region, you will never walk alone. That is what I think out of NDDC. And I am very excited about it.

“Things have started so fast that I have started wondering that is it that the voices have been drawn? Is it that the voices of the masses are wearing now? Is it because of the mask we are wearing now? Nigerians and Niger Deltans can no longer talk? Or is it that I am a mad man, who has seen the reason to move the region forward. Is it that people are not aware that NDDC for instance has existed for the past 20 years.

“Why can’t people ask questions? How come it is only now that the noise is louder? How come it is only now that even our parliament has found it necessary to conduct a selective probe of NDDC? Instead of beginning from the inception, the year 2001, they are now doing five months probe out of almost 20 years of existence.

“Why? NDDC has been in existence since 1999. What is really happening now? How is it all petitions on earth are happening? The answer lies in the wing. When the wind blows, it blows along with the answer.

“But I had an interview with Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, and that was sometime in October /November 2019. Shortly after Mr. President ordered Forensic Audit of NDDC, I was on NTA and I pointed out that as soon as this forensic audit commences, that hell would be let loose.

“You will hear petitions, you will hear the shout, you will hear accusations, and you will hear false accusations. In fact, there would start a campaign of calumny, not just against the Minister, not just against the ministry, even against President himself for daring to ask for a forensic audit.”

“To have received this commendations and confidence vote from the leadership of the IPMAN, we are not working alone. That in spite of the noise and false accusations and all that, the Niger Deltans are with me and the Ministry of Niger Delta. We give God glory.

“I will be very glad to pass this message to Mr. President, because, if he was not a strong man and his experience in government, it would have been easier for the noise of dissent to drive the truth, he would have said, the Interim Management Committee is hereby dissolved and the minister is hereby removed from the office.”

He said the orchestration against him and IMC was so organized and well funded, adding, “That you hardly open a newspaper and young don’t see screaming headline.

“And all they are talking now is corruption in five months. Not corruption in 19 tears and 7 months. Those ones were period of bliss and period of success in the NDDC.”