NDDC Fraud: group call for Akpabio’s suspension

Our Reporter

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately suspend the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, in order to give room for unhindered investigation into the damning allegations of corruption levelled against the Minister by the former Interim MD of the Commission, Joy Nunieh.

NYCN, which is the apex body of all youth organizations in Nigeria, made the call in a statement by its Deputy President, Comrade Adamu Kabir Matazu, on Sunday.

NYCN said it is disturbed by the growing corruption in the NDDC which has continued to cripple development in the oil rich Niger Delta region since it was established 20 years ago.

“We are stating our position because we are interested in seeing NDDC that works for the benefit of the Niger Delta people,” the statement read.

“We demand President Buhari to act in the best interest of the nation and in the spirit of fighting corruption and routing corrupt public officials in his administration to immediately without further delay suspend Senator Godswill Akpabio.”

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The group also passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of the House of Representatives and National Assembly for beaming search light into the books of the NDDC.

The statement further reads: “The NYCN salutes, commend and appreciate the House Committee on NDDC for instituting a probe and immediately swung into action in order to unravel the alleged illegal expenditure and mismanagement by the Commission under the supervision of Senator Godswill Akpabio.

“The National Youth Council of Nigeria is a responsible National Youth organization that is interested in seeing a corrupt free Nigeria and will do everything within our powers to fight and bring corrupt public officials to book who are denting the image of Nigeria amongst the comity of nations. And we will not fold our arms to allow this Akpabio matter to be swept under the carpet.

“Finally, we stand with the National assembly Ad-hoc committee and people of the Niger Delta region and we hope and pray that Justice will prevail at the end of the day and all those vultures and economic vampires who are wreaking havoc in the NDDC would be exposed and put to shame.”