N876 billion NDDC budget: Stakeholders write Tinubu, warn of looming crisis as Gbajabiamila vows to retain Ogboku over Akpabio, Akume’s decision

Niger Delta elders and other stakeholders have alerted President Bola Tinubu over the lingering face-off between his Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and the leadership of the Senate led by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio over the probe of the alleged illegal, wasteful and unverifiable spendings at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the tune of N350billon.

The Stakeholders, under the aegis Niger Delta Elders for Good Governance and Accountability, also alleged that the Senate is miffed by the level of disrespect and usurping the authorities of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), His Excellency Senator George Akume over the nomination of a new Niger Delta Development Commission’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officers.

According to the Group, while Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and SGF Akume wants a change at the NDDC that will promote economic growth and development in the region in line with President Tinubu’s mandate, the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila is alleged to have vowed to retain the present Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogboku.

The elders and stakeholders, in a statement issued via electronic mail and signed by High Chief Donald Ewere, called on President Bola Tinubu to caution his Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila who has vowed to retain the NDDC Managing Director Samuel Ogboku against the wishes of the people of the Niger Delta region.

According to High Chief Ewere, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio should be accorded his respect as the number three citizen and a leader from the Niger Delta region, “Gbajabiamila should respect the views of the people of the region, he is just a Presidential Aide and a non-Niger Deltan that does not understand the plight of the Niger Delta people, and he has turned a blind eye to the ongoing allegations of multi-billion naira funds misappropriation at the NDDC.”

“For example, the NDDC allegedly spent N150 billion in three months between January to March 2023 as reported to the Senate Ad hoc Committee and has since then spent over N200 billion in unverifiable projects. Within the last few weeks alone, the NDDC has paid over 72 unverifiable distilling projects worth N650 million each, totaling over N46 billion, this is insanity, and it seems like no one in the presidency cares or is even trying to stop this evil that is been perpetrated against the Niger Delta people.”

The elders and stakeholders expressed their anger and frustration against President Tinubu for ignoring calls to dissolve the Managing Directors and Chief Executive Officers and allow the most qualified director to handle the affairs of the commission, pending the constitution of a new board, stating that the lack of accountability at the NDDC has brought the commission to financial ruins.

“The elders and stakeholders called on the President not to give listening ears to sponsored and paid sycophants in the media urging him to retain the Managing Director of the NDDC, but that the President should ask these sponsored jobbers how many votes did his Presidential Campaign win in these individuals areas and local governments, despite the fact that these individuals were holding these offices throughout his Presidential campaign and failed to support him but rather, they allegedly contributed to support the opposition.”

The Elders and Stakeholders have offered to expose the shoddy and disloyal role of Chief Timipre Sylva and Dr. Sameul Ogboku ahead of the last Presidential Poll, “Major Ex-Militant leaders from the region met with Dr. Samuel Ogboku to sponsor some campaign programmes for now President Bola Tinubu in the Niger Delta States. He promised to get back to them but later dumped the idea after consulting with Chief Timipre Sylva.”

It is on record that these ex-militant leaders were sent to Ogboku by the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Umana O. Umana to support the Tinubu’s Presidential Campaign in the South-South region, but to the delegation’s surprise, the NDDC MD refused to support the campaign after allegedly speaking with his boss the former Minister, Timipre Sylva as they were counting on the Opposition to defeat Tinubu.”

“It is also on record that between Timipre Sylva as the then Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Samuel Ogboku the Managing Director of the NDDC, both of them could not win their wards or local government in Bayelsa state for the Tinubu’s campaign during the Presidential election.”

“They allowed the opposition to win it all, so how can such people that allegedly sabotaged Tinubu’s Presidential campaign, now be nominated by Tinubu’s Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila to oversee the Niger Delta region, unless the multi-million-dollar bribery allegations that are trending on social media are true?”

The elders and stakeholders also decried the lack of meaningful development in the region despite the trillions of naira spent. “The National Assembly approved the total sum of N876 billion budget for Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for the 2023 financial year.”

“This was sequel to the consideration and adoption of the report of the House Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Out of the amount N34.24billion was for personnel expenditure, the sum of N17.47 billion was for overhead expenditure, the sum of N3.71 billion was for internal capital expenditure and the sum of N490.55 billion was for development projects for the service of the NDDC for the financial year ending March 31, 2024.”

“We are calling on President Tinubu and the SGF Senator Akume to dissolve the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer and allow the most qualified director to handle the affairs of the commission, pending the constitution of a new board before it’s too late to salvage the commission.”