The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has demanded that the Niger Delta Development Commission’s (NDDC) acting Managing Director, Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, who collapsed while being grilled by legislators must return to complete his presentation and clear grey areas on how billions of naira belonging to the commission was squandered under his watch.
The Chairman, Contact and Mobilization Committee Member, Steering Committee, CUPP, Rev Olusegun Peters in a press release issued in Abuja, said the directive by Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila that Pondei would no longer appear before the committee is ill-conceived and diversionary particularly when members of the National Assembly were said to have procured 60% of the contracts awarded by the commission.
He called for a thorough forensic audit and unfettered public investigation of the activities of the NDDC that resulted to the underdevelopment of Niger Delta region.
He said there should be no sacred cow and no cover up of any culprit no matter how highly placed, calling on the Speaker not interfere in the committee’s public hearing.
“It smacks of legislative recklessness and his lack of confidence in the committee he setup.
“Nigerians are desirous to know how public funds allotted to NDDC were spent despite unprecedented theatre of the absurd emanating from the public hearing.
“CUPP also calls for a forensic audit and public hearing on the activities of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development and how it squandered billions of naira on purported COVID-19 palliatives and social intervention schemes including disbursement of N20,000.00 to poorest Nigerians and feeding of school children at home during Coronavirus lockdown.
“ It will be an eye opener to unlimited corruption in government Ministries, Agencies and Parastatals. Addressing this obvious cankerworm is the first step in fighting corruption in the country. We are all in it together.
“The billions of naira siphoned in the guise of Christmas gifts and COVID-19 palliatives to its officials showed the extent public office holders would go to loot the national till and deprive the masses dividends of democracy.
“Nigerians are shocked by the revelations at the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the activities of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and now billions of tax payers funds were looted by public office holders resulting to the underdevelopment of the area that produces the nation’s oil and 90% of its aggregate wealth.
“The revelation by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio that members of the National Assembly got 60% of bogus contracts awarded by NDDC that were not executed or grossly inflated is a confirmation of CUPP’s earlier outcry of corruption in NDDC,” he said.