The media has been filled with reports about the high profile Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) audit before the Senate but like all other issues, the Nigerian factor seems to be rearing its head in the matter.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Niger Delta governors that served between 2000-2015 when PDP was at the centre had a very ‘cordial’ relationship with the NDDC boards then and should the audit be thorough, will all be indicted; These include the Minister of Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio, as governor of Akwa Ibom State.
One thing that was established during the House of Representatives investigation is that there is no audit ongoing at the moment. The lead auditor is yet to engage the other auditors. N641 million has already been spent on media support and to help identify NDDC projects in the rural areas. The foundation of the forensic audit is laid on fraud. Should the audit be carried out and concluded, it will be seriously doctored and heavily politicised. It might even be laced with politics of 2023 to blackmail some persons.
Can the Minister of Niger Delta indict himself? The interesting part of the forensic audit is that as the corrupt past and present board members, corrupt contractors, corrupt NDDC staff, corrupt past and present National Assembly members, corrupt and dubious Niger Delta stakeholders are exposed, they will start singing to indict those that will be mischievously excluded.
They have been business partners for two decades. NDDC was simply established to ‘settle’ the elder statesmen, major stakeholders, activists and civilian generals in the region and it has delivered on its mandate. Majority of the people it was designed to ‘settle’ have been adequately ‘settled’.
As you can see, they are currently silent despite all that is unfolding.
In Niger Delta, it is not in our culture to talk with food in our mouth.
Indicted and disgruntled elements will be the most effective source of the forensic audit details.
Let’s continue to watch the drama unfold. Nothing will happen to them at the end of the day but at least, for the sake of posterity, let’s know the goats that broke into the barn and the quantities of yams they ate.
Legborsi Esaen,
Rivers State
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