By Osaigbovomwan Iguobaro
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the federal government to immediately suspend allocations to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Interim Management Committee, following the corruption scandal that had engulfed the Commission.
President Muhammadu Buhari had appointed a sole administrator superintend over the affairs of NDDC, pending completion of a forensic audit.
The south-south national Vice Chairman of PDP, Chief Dan Orbih made the call in Benin City at a thanksgiving service/reception to Celebrate his victory and emergence as the PDP newly elected South-south national Vice Chairman at the party’s zonal Congress in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Capital.
Lamenting the wastage in the NDDC over the failure to constitute a board, Orbih said the massive fraud in the Commission has further denied Edo State of the necessary development expected as a Niger Delta State, following the delay in constituting a legally approved board of the NDDC.
He appealed to all Governors of the Niger Delta States to reject the interim management board and move for a board that will promote the interest of the Niger Delta people as well as attract development to the region.
“The fraud in NDDC has denied Edo state of the necessary development being a Niger Delta State. That is why I would like to use this opportunity to call on the federal government to stop playing politics with the development of the Niger Delta.
“We are in a situation where the federal government has refused for obvious reasons to constitute the board of NDDC.
“NDDC today is an institution of fraud and scandals to the detriment of the people of the Niger Delta region.
“Government must rise up to the challenge of putting together a board where all the states in the South South will be well represented, so that the board can do exactly what they are mandated to do for the development of the South South region.
“We are sick and tired of the scandals in NDDC. It is time for us to rise up and demand from the federal government to put together of a board that will serve the interest of the South South. Until that is done, we stand to demand that all allocations to the NDDC should be suspended until the government is able to put together a board.
“For so long, we are hearing stories of how money that is meant for the development of the South South is being wasted by Interim boards. There is nothing in the Act of NDDC that provides for this contraptions by the federal government.
“On behalf of the South South, we call on the federal government to put to stop the allocations going to the Interim board because there is no board legally in place to serve the interest of our people.”Orbih said.
The PDP south-south national Vice Chairman also charged the Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki to ensure that the probe of the Benin storm water project and Benin Central Hospital were not swept under the carpet.
Orbih emphasized that the State Government must as a matter of policy investigate and not shy away from ensuring that all money misappropriated in the Benin storm water project and Central Hospital building project are recovered to develop Edo State.
“This Government must take charge and ensure that our looted money from the Benin storm water project is recovered for the development of Edo state. The Obaseki-led government must not shy away from ensuring that all money misappropriated in the Benin Central hospital project are recovered to develop Edo state.
Orbih however pledged to work assiduously for the party to deliver the dividend of democracy to the people and the South South region ahead of the 2023 Presidential election.
