There is tension at the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, as the agency's top officials arrive Abuja to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari over the missing N183.7 billion and other alleged scams rocking the commission.
President Muhammadu Buhari
According to Premium Times, there is intense pressure on the leadership of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, as the top officials honour a scheduled meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, today Wednesday the 26th of August.
The purpose of the meeting is to answer to the allegations over the missing N183.7 billion and other alleged scams rocking the commission. They have arrived Abuja to see the president.
The meeting was confirmed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu who said, “It is true that top officials of the NDDC will be meeting with the President tomorrow (Wednesday)”
“Although I can’t confirm the exact schedule of the meeting, I can say that it will take place in the afternoon at the Presidential Villa.”
However, a source at the commission who pleaded not to be named because she is not authorised to speak on the issue, said the Managing Director, Dan Abia, would lead the delegation to meet Mr. Buhari.
Other top officials of the commission to accompany Mr. Abia to the meeting include the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Henry Ogiri and the Executive Director, Projects, Tuoyo Omatsuli, among others.
The source said the atmosphere at the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was tensed Tuesday following fears that President Buhari might prosecute the top officials of the commission as his anti-corruption war heightens.
“The office was so tensed today because people are not sure what will happen after the President meets with the MD and some of our directors,” the source said.
“Since the news of huge financial scams broke out in the media, there has been an air of uncertainty in the office.
“Nobody is sure of what will happen tomorrow. Management has been fighting hard to stop the media from doing further damage to the already bad situation but it does not seem to work.”
She said the fate of some key officials of the commission hang on the balance and would be determined after the meeting with Mr. Buhari.
With spiraling debt totaling N1.5 trillion, the NDDC has been enmeshed in alleged multi-billion financial scams including the disappearance of a princely N187.3 billion from its accounts.