The Executive Director of Projects, Interim Management Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission, Dr Cairo Ojougboh, has alleged that the activities of the National Assembly must be critically examined for Nigeria to move forward.
Ojougboh stated this on Friday at the palace of the Asagba of Asaba in Delta State, alleging that there was criminality in the House Committee on NDDC.
Addressing the Asagba of Asaba, Obi Chike Edozien, he said, “I am here today to inform you that the Inspector-General of Police is coming to Asaba to inaugurate the Police Equipment Fund and brief you on what is going on in IMC.
“The reports of the National Assembly never indicted IMC. Before now, the National Assembly was the one running the place. When we came, we said no, because over 20 years, there was nothing to show in the Niger Delta region.
“They want to take the NDDC back to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, where all these evils were perpetrated before and we said no when we came on board.
“We have a lot of criminality in the House Committee on NDDC; Senator (Peter) Nwaoboshi’s house is the warehouse of the NDDC and the National Assembly wants to be the court, the judge and the prosecutor in the NDDC matter.
“If the country must improve, we must look at the National Assembly activities. I am 60 years old now so if I don’t speak the truth now, when will I speak it? Your majesty, be assured that I have not stolen and I will not steal.”
Ojougboh said the money paid into his account was for the trip of NDDC students abroad before the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his remarks, Edozien lamented that the NDDC had hitherto excluded Asaba in its operations.
“I am very happy to welcome you today. We did not make any mistake to confer on you the Akinuwa of Anioma. Today, you had the opportunity to explain to us what is happening in the NDDC,” he said.
When contacted, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, declined to speak on the issue.
He told one of our correspondents that the issue was already a matter of litigation and that he would not want to comment on it.
He said, “I have already taken them to court on the issue, so I don’t want to talk about it.”
Meanwhile, the Senate on Thursday mandated its committee on ethics and privileges to investigate allegations of corruption levelled against some National Assembly members by the NDDC management.
The panel has four weeks to submit its report.
