NDDC Probe: Allegations Against Management, Others Spurious – CSO
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – A civil society organisation (CSO) on the aegis of “Peoples Alliance for Indigenous Rights, PAIR”, have expressed serious reservation over what it described as “the show of shame” particularly by some ex-officials of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) over their wild allegations.
The organisation noted with regret that those who parade themselves as saints are in themselves mired deep in rot thus determined to smear others with mud.
It noted that this is in spite of the fact that irrespective of all the shouting, puffing and huffing, Ms. Nuneih is yet to tender any document to the House of Representatives, whose chairman of committee on NDDC, Hon Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, is enmeshed in corruption allegation of having benefitted with a 17km road contract.
PAIR which stated these on Thursday at a briefing in Abuja, specifically condemned the style adopted by a former acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Ms. Joi Nuneih, stressing that it is overly dramatic and staged managed.
At the briefing by the duo of Iriogbe Emmanuel and James Okoronkwo, national coordinator and secretary respectively, urged the House of Representatives and Ms. Nuneih to allow the forensic audit ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari go through the process, rather than engage in media trial.
PAIR noted that Ms. Nuneih has successfully weaponised ‘kidnap and sexual harassment’ to score some political mileage, which it described as “unfortunate”.
The organisation further said; “We have since observed the unfortunate drama playing out in the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and wish to state that facts have become obscured as the dramatic and playing to the gallery has taken centre stage.
“If those, especially Ms. Joy Nuneih, a former Managing Director of the NDDC, were out to expose corruption as have been alleged by them, then this unnecessary orchestrated drama would not be part of the “fact finding” by the House of Reps.
“On Thursday, it was alleged that Ms. Nuneih’s home in Port Harcourt was besieged by gun wielding security men. How convenient! To imagine that this is happening barely after 24 hours when the Rivers state governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, warned against any attempt to undermine the security and life of Ms. Nuneih speaks to a sinister plot by those who hope to gain from this macabre plot.
“Today, Governor Wike is seen as a ‘super hero’ for ‘rescuing’ the ex-MD of the embattled commission when credible sources suggest it was a hatchet plot by the ‘super hero.’
“While it is not cast in stone that some things may have gone wrong, Ms. Nuneih and her co-travellers should allow the forensic audit ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari go on.
“It is only proper that any grievances and allegations of wrong doing should be channeled to the audit panel and not the red herring all over the place,” the duo of Iriogbe and Okonrokwo enthused.
