The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to probe the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Nsima Ekere and his team, following reports of financial robbery in the award of contract for the Water Hyacinth Emergency and Desilting Contracts from 2017 to 2019.
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The contract initially valued at N2.5 billion was allegedly jerked to N65 billion.
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Last week President Muhammadu Buhari directed a forensic audit of the account of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
LIST OF APPLICATIONS FOR REGULARISATION OF AREA COUNCIL LAND DOCUMENTS NULLIFIED/CANCELLED BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FCT
Already, the Chairman Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Sen. Matthew Urhoghide raised the red flag and had signaled an inquest by his committee.
“Of course, that is a very serious offence. What we are hearing or what we know is that N2.5billion was budgeted for this activity, that is, desilting and clearing of water hyacinths.
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“We are hearing that the Commission has spent N65 billion, so, we want to know if it is true,” he said.
The forensic audit will cover activities from 2001 to 2019.
Nsima Ekere’s woes allegedly started when he fell out of favour with his former benefactor, Senator Godswill Akpabio, shortly after the general elections.
Ekere had allegedly blamed Akpabio for the woes that befell the party in the last elections, saying the former Governor brought misfortune to the APC with his arrival war songs.
With Akpabio’s appointment as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, the former Senate minority leader had declared war on the NDDC, vowing to probe what he described as massive rots, and stopping all contracts recently awarded by Mr Ekere.
“There have been serious crises between the leaders of APC in Akwa Ibom and that is why we have been unable to convene any meeting since the elections ended”, an inside source recounted.
