Ayo Alonge
A group of concerned youths in Delta State under the auspices of Progressive Delta Youths (PDY) has challenged the management of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to make public any evidence supposedly linking members of the National Assembly to allegations of fraud in the Commission.
The group decried supposed moves by the NDDC management to frustrate their expected appearance before the National Assembly to clear themselves of corruption allegations levelled against them.
PDY Coordinator Komeh Nathaniel challenged the NDDC management to urgently publish the list of corrupt National Assembly members it claimed had been paid for contracts that were never executed if has such a list.
In a statement made available to reporters in Warri on Monday, Nathaniel said:
“There have been several corruption allegations levelled against both Godswill Akpabio and the IMC members, yet they have chosen to spend billions of naira to frustrate their appearance before the investigative probe panel of the National Assembly rather than to toe the noble path of clearing their names.
‘The latest 14 days ultimate given to the NASS Committees to drop the plan to probe the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC has confirmed the corruption allegations levelled against these individuals. A mere invitation to appear before an investigative probe panel for a few days should have even been an opportunity for these people to prove their innocence if they do not have anything to hide.
‘We challenge these people to immediately expose and report to the appropriate anti-corruption agencies any member of the National Assembly they claimed to have collected money for contracts that were never executed. Otherwise, these people should bury their heads in shame for making allegations they can’t substantiate.
‘We will like to make it abundantly clear that these are the real enemies of the Niger Delta region and they are prepared to go to any length to cover their dirty deals. The desperation of NDDC management to avoid appearing before the National Assembly probe panel has manifested in the planned protest.
‘We are quite sure that the prohibitively expensive media war of propaganda that is being sponsored by the NDDC on instructions of Akpabio would be promptly stopped immediately if the National Assembly decides not to go ahead with its planned probe of the IMC and the minister. This is to us the more reason why all the good people of Niger Delta region should encourage the National Assembly never to shy away from implementing section 87 of Nigerian constitution which states that no agency of government is immune from the oversight responsibilities of the National Assembly.’