Panic as Buhari endorses investigations into NDDC Corruption

The stakeholders coordinating the affairs of the Niger Delta Commission (NDDC) who include the members of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs are having cause to worry as President Muhammadu Buhari endorsed the investigations into allegations of gross corruption in the commission.

The two chambers of the National Assembly have been investigating allegations of N40 billion impropriety in the NDDC between January and March 2020. The IMC members and the Niger Delta minister have engaged the lawmakers with strong resistance into the investigations and trying to cause stalemate that will frustrate the investigations.

President Buhari on Thursday declared his support for the National Assembly, law enforcement agencies and audit firms investigating corruption allegations in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), encouraging them  to work with urgency and sense of purpose. The stated that his administration is determined to get to the root of the problem undermining development of the Niger Delta in spite of the huge budgetary allocations to the commission over the years.

President Buhari, in series of tweets on Thursday, had declared that his administration is “determined to get to the root of the problem undermining the development of the Niger Delta, in spite of the enormous national resources dedicated to this annually.” He maintained: “This administration remains committed to bringing rapid, even and sustainable development to the region.”

The President further said that he is “determined to ensure transparency and accountability applies not only to the NDDC, but also to all other institutions of the Federal Government. We will not relent.”

President Buhari, therefore, gave the mandate: “All investigating agencies and auditing firms currently working collaboratively with National Assembly Committees to audit and reposition the NDDC must act with urgency and a sense of purpose, and ensure that I am kept informed of any and all actions being taken.

“In line with this, I have made it clear to the National Assembly and our investigating and law enforcement agencies to pursue better coordination in their work, so that the shared goal of ensuring sanity, transparency and accountability of dedicated funds can be achieved.”

There are indecisions that heads may not only roll in the NDDC corruption episode but President Buhari may order the prosecution of indicted state holders.