Group accuses Akpabio of looting NDDC funds for 2023 presidential ambition

A group, Good Governance Advocates Nigeria (GGAN), have accused the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, of using his position to perpetrate fraud in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The group in a statement sent to journalists on Saturday, May 23 and signed by its spokesman, Uduak Essien, said the NDDC has recently found itself enmeshed in corruption of quantifiable magnitude, due to the activities of the minister.

According to the group, ''there is currently an attempt to cover up a 40 billion naira fraud by the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of NDDC, and in achieving such, their desperation led to flagrant abuse of the constitutional laws guiding our nation as they secretly wrote to the National Assembly seeking for virement to cover up for the many extra-budgetary spending and fraudulent contract awards that have brought the commission to its knees in the last six months.

''This act, which clearly contravenes the provisions of the law, is meant to cover up for numerous contract scams the IMC has specifically been accused of perpetrating.

The Act for Positive Transformation Initiative, a Non-governmental Organisation, had earlier this week raised an alarm over the ploy of the IMN of NDDC to cover-up the N40 billion allegation before the National Assembly.

The GGAN further alleged that another alleged fraud of N16.2bn involving a company has surfaced.

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The alleged fraud case was investigated by the office of Auditor General and the company was not only indicted but mandated to make a refund of increment payment of N16.2bn to the coffers of the Federal Government.

''The company was found guilty of inflation of contract sum and massive payment for services not rendered. This alleged fraud and that of the N40bn depressingly happened under the watch of Akpabio and the NDDC IMC,''

the group said.

The statement continued:-

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These series of fraud perpetrated in the NDDC according to the former Acting Managing Director, Dr Gbene Joy Nunieh who was relieved of her duty by the supervising Minister is said to be masterminded by Senator Godswill Akpabio, and her defiance to cooperating and swearing an oath got her fired by the Minister.

''These looting of the NDDC resources is reportedly to enable Godswill Akpabio fund his presidential campaign in 2023, an inordinate ambition set to be built on the back of the Niger Delta people with resources earmarked for the development of their region.

''As a result, we hereby call on the National Assembly to stand firm and be resolute as regard this investigation, in the best interest of the Niger Delta people and Nigerians at large.

''The presidency should also as a matter of urgency examine the many financial atrocities of Godswill Akpabio and take appropriate actions before he soils the integrity of Mr President.''

Cc: Lalasticlala, mynd44, seun

lol @ presidential ambition.