NDDC crisis: Youth Council alleges plot to discredit Buhari’s integrity

As allegations and counter allegations of corruption continue to trail the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has raised alarm of possible alliance from enemies of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to discredit his impeccable personality and administration.

The NYCN led by its President, Solomon Adodo at a solidarity rally held at the Unity Fountain, Abuja on Monday argued that the President’s insistence on ridding the NDDC of corruption has irked those who hitherto converted the Commission to their private estate whom he said have embarked on all manner of smear campaign against his administration.

Recall that the sacked former MD of NDDC, Ms. Joy Nunieh had alleged that Mr. Goodwill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affair, repeatedly pressured her to take “an oath of secrecy” that was meant to keep her from exposing fraud at the Commission during her brief tenure. According to her, the Minister had in one instance, asked her to raise a memo to fraudulently award emergency contracts for flood victims in the Niger Delta.

But the youths in their hundred carrying placards with different inscriptions such as “No one loves Niger Delta more than PMB”, “NDDC must be freed from corruption”, NDDC Probe must go on” amongst others maintained that the Nigerian youth would stand by the President to succeed in his effort to rid the nation of corruption and enthrone good governance.

“We know that hell has been let lose because of your insistence that the quantum corruption in the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC) must be thoroughly investigated. This is the first time a Nigerian President is committed to saving the Niger-Delta people through Probity. All the culprits and opposition have aligned to deceive the country, malign your person and criticize the Government. But the Nigerian Youths are with you. We shall win those detractors and punish them under our law for their crimes.

The coming of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, several monies have been recovered from projects not executed. Projects execution that took flight many years ago in the Commission began to spring up here and there for all to see. This is why we find it expedient to speak up as a group that has carried out thorough investigation on the activities of the Commission”, the group noted.