NDDC saga: Group urges Buhari to set up panel of inquiry

A group, Southern Nigeria Peoples Mandate (SNPM), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a judicial panel of inquiry into the alleged financial misappropriation in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The president of the group, Mr Augustine Chukwudum, made this call in a statement issued to newsmen in Enugu on Tuesday.

The statement was a reaction to the alleged financial misappropriation in the commission.

Chukwudum noted that the panel should do an in-depth investigation of the management of NDDC, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and members of the House of Representative, who were accused by the minister of getting contracts from the commission.

“We are making this clarion call on President Buhari because Nigerians have lost confidence with the house committee on NDDC that is probing the alleged looting.

“They cannot be judge in a case they are directly involved and have serious questions to answer,” he said.

The SNPM leader noted that it was regrettable to see the level of infrastructure decay and non availability of social amenities in the Niger Delta region despite trillions of naira pumped into the commission.

“It is also regrettable that some sons and daughters of the region were appointted to better the living condition of their people, instead they were allegedly depriving the people of their right,” he said.

Chukwudum noted that it was time for Buhari to prove to the world that his anti-corruption war was never selective, adding, “this is why he must sack the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio and the NDDC management.”

“We also commend Chris Ekiyor, who exposed the alleged looting in the NDDC. We want to assure Ekiyor that every Nigerian is standing behind him,’’ he added.