The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has called on the Federal Government to make public the report of the forensic audit conducted on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Speaking during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme aired Friday, Wike suggested that the audit report was being withheld to shield individuals who might be implicated in fraudulent activities.
While commenting on the performance of former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, under the Muhammadu Buhari administration, Wike further alleged that Amaechi’s wife benefitted from his time in office—though he provided no supporting evidence.
The forensic audit, commissioned by the Federal Government in 2021, examined the financial dealings and project execution of the NDDC from its inception in 2001 up to August 2019. The audit was intended to uncover financial mismanagement, fund diversion, and other irregularities within the commission.
Wike said, ”Let President Bola Ahmed Tinubu do us a favour and release the report of the forensic audit of the NDDC.’
”Mr President should help Nigerians.”
Wike’s statement comes a day after Amaechi, in an interview on Thursday, made glowing remarks about his wife’s occupation, saying she was “almost an industrialist”.
However, Wike was quick to dismiss the claim, rather insisting Amaechi’s wife was a beneficiary of a monthly contract to train women of the Niger Delta.
The minister said he came from a comfortable home and did not need to steal any money from public funds, alleging that Amaechi was one of the most corrupt human beings.
”I won’t say I was too rich like the Dangotes, but I didn’t have a small background. His (Amaechi’s) anger is that he saw me using a Rolls-Royce -and so what?
”It was not given to me by a contractor; a contractor gave him, and that is a bribe.
“He took from a contractor, but I will not do that. He (Amaechi) is one of the most corrupt people,” he said.
Wike also said that if his accusations were not contained in the NDDC forensic report, he would resign his position as the FCT minister.
“Let them release the document, if what I am saying is not in the document, I will resign as the minister of FCT. I don’t worship the office,” he said.
The minister also questioned the qualifications of Amaechi, claiming that the former Minister of Transport failed to graduate from the Rivers State University.
“Amaechi went to Rivers State University, but he couldn’t pass,” he said.
2020 NDDC Probe
The recent allegation involving the wife of former Minister Rotimi Amaechi allegedly benefiting from Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) contracts is not without precedent.
In July 2020, a House of Representatives probe into the NDDC took a dramatic turn when the then Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, appeared before the committee and accused lawmakers themselves of being “the greatest beneficiaries” of NDDC contracts.
When pressed for clarification, Akpabio stated, “I just told you that we have records to show that most of the contracts in the NDDC are given out to members of the National Assembly.”
The hearing also witnessed a dramatic moment when the then acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Daniel Pondei, collapsed at his desk while being questioned by the committee. He had been under intense questioning for over an hour before suddenly slumping forward.
The probe was marred by a series of explosive corruption allegations exchanged between Akpabio and former NDDC Managing Director, Joi Nunieh, who gave her testimony virtually via Zoom.