Metro
Frank asks Buhari to Sack NDDC board before he leaves over infighting, corruption allegations
***Urges EFCC, ICPC to wade in to the matter
A political activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Board and current management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) without further delay
This he said is instructive over the various accusations and counter accusations of corruption fying within the Commission.
Frank said these counter allegations and infighting between the Management team and the Chairman of the Board of NDDC has once again opened up the ugly chapter of the past, where the infighting ended up in derailing the overall performances of the Commission thereby short-changing the people of the Niger Delta, yet enriching some with personal gains.
In a statement released to newsmen Monday in Abuja, the Bayelsa born political activist also called on the anti-corruption agencies to quickly intervene and launch probe into some of the revelations of corruption allegations made by the Board against the Commission’s Managing Director.
According to Frank, the inability to properly defend the 2021, 2022 & 2023 budget in unison at the Senate is a clear testament to the fact that the board lacks the basic prerequisites to oversee the affairs of the NDDC.
He said the people of Nigeria Delta had hoped that the new board would grow to become the hope and fresh air to the region, “but alas we’re confronted with the same dilemma of corruption allegations and counter accusations by those responsible in managing the resources of the people.
“It is clear from the foregoing that the inability to work in unison for the overall good of the people will render the activities of the Commission in jeopardy.”
The statement added that the people of the Niger Delta are tired of being the scape goats whenever these infighting arises because of greed and selfishness.
“Following recent revelations of corruption in the NDDC and counter accusations of mismanagement between the recently inaugurated board and management of the commission at the Senate, it will be safe to conclude that the primary objective of piloting the affairs of the commission has suffered yet another setback in the twilight of this new management board.
“Furthermore, the fact that this expose, is coming at a time when all hands are supposed to be on deck in midwifing the rebirth of a new NDDC is very worrisome and embarrassing.
“Instead of harmonizing the blueprint for building a sustainable commission saddled with the responsibility of delivering first class interventions to the people of the Niger Delta, the NDDC is rather confronted yet again with weighty allegations of corruption by members of its own board whose tenure only began less than 5 months ago.
“The startling revelations by the Chairwoman and counter accusations by the Managing Director and his team has once again left a sour taste in the minds of all genuine stakeholders in the Niger Delta project.
“Most shocking is the allegation of inflating the MD’s imprest and the operation of several accounts as confirmed by the Executive Director Finance & Admin rather than maintaining a single account as stipulated by the Federal Government under the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
“Going by these embarrassing scenarios of distrust and the inability to properly harmonize working relationships between the board and its members, it will be safe to recommend a total dissolution of the board to give way for a more proactive and people’s oriented board to midwife the NDDC into a world class intervention agency.
“It is noteworthy that even after a forensic audit was carried out by the FG, paving the way for the smooth operations of the Incoming board, we’re still confronted with the same quagmire bedeviling the commission.”
Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, called on the National Assembly, EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies to thoroughly investigate the accusations.
“I’m therefore calling on the National Assembly and the EFCC to urgently investigate these accusations of corruption in the NDDC by the board and come up with its findings for a proper recommendation to the Federal Government.
“We have had enough of these embarrassing situations in the NDDC and the Niger Delta at large and every stakeholder has a responsibility in speaking out at this time whilst ensuring that the proper image of the Commission is maintained in delivering the dividends of the region to the people.”
**As thugs loyal to Abure unleash mayhem on LP protesters from Edo
There seem to be no end in sight for the crises in the Labour Party as the Edo State chapter has officially ratified the suspension of the National chairman of the party, Julius Abure.
This was contained in a correspondent to the National Headquarters of the party titled: Ratification. Of the suspension from the membership of Ward 3, Arue, Uromi, Esan North qEast LGA, Edo State.
The letter which was signed by the chairman and secretary of the state chapter of the party, Com. Ogbaloi K.S.E State Chairman and Com. Akhere Frederick respectively and was copied INEC.
The Letter reads,
“Here forwarded to you and for your notification, the ratification of the suspension of Comr Barr. Julius Abure from the membership of Ward 3, Arue, Uromi, Esan North East LGA. Edo State.
“The State Executive Council, Labour Party, Edo State, comprising of the State Working Committee, the 18 Local Government Chairmen and the 18 Local Government Secretaries met on the 24” of May, 2024, at about 11:00pm, to consider the matters presented on the suspension of Comr. Barr. Julius Abure by his Ward in Arue, Uromi, Esan North East LGA, and the upholding of the suspension by the LGA Excos.
“After clinical analysis of the accusation, the Council found them weighty and further ratified and upheld the suspension.
Meanwhile, Thugs suspected to be loyal to the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), on Monday unleashed mayhem on Protesters believed to be LP supporters from the Edo State chapter who were at the party National secretariat to demand Abure’s ouster.
The anti- Abure protesters stormed the party headquarters in a number of vehicles holding placards and chanting solidarity songs.
No sooner than some of the protesters stepped out of one of the vehicles than the suspected thugs swooped on the vehicles with sticks and other objects forcing the drivers to zoom off.
A detachment of armed policemen and operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) intervened when the thugs started throwing stones into the nearby Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, in pursuit of reporters who were convering the fracas.
The intervention of the security officials prevented the situation from further degenerating. A police vehicle is currently stationed in between the warring factions.
By our correspondent
The Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria (KYN) the umbrella body of Kuteb world wide has accused Gen. Theophilus Danjuma ((rtd) of deliberately distorting and inventing new history of Takum Chieftaincy to benefit his tribal people (Chamba)
Chief Emmanuel Ukwen, President General Kuteb Yantso of Nigeria stated this while addressing newsmen in Jalingo on Friday.
The accusation is coming after the recent appointment of HRH Bar. Sopiya Gboshi as chief of Takum who was presented with staff of office by Gov Agbu Kefas to succeed late Ukwe Ali Ibrahim kufang ll who died 28 years ago.
The Kuteb also accused Gen. Danjuma and his associates of making plans to demolish the Takum Central Mosque and the ancestral palace of Ukwe Takum which had been located behind the Mosque.
Chief Ukwen recalled the recent speech presented by Dajuma during the coronation of the newly appointed chief of Takum against the Kuteb and late Ukwe Takum Ali Ibrahim was unjust and unacceptable.
“It is a pity that TY Danjuma referred to late Ukwe Ali Ibrahim as a very bad and terrible chief on flimsy reasons because he was a Kuteb man and a Muslim.
Record have it that late Ukwe Ali ibrahim was an honest and peace loving leader who ruled over the people of Takum from 1963 to 1996 and was adjuged by all as a leader with fear of God.
“We have uncovered a sinister move by Danjuma and his cohorts to force the State Governor to demolish the Takum Central Mosque and the Ukwe Takum Palace which is located behind the Mosque under the guise of Urban development.
“We want the whole world to know that the graves of our late Ukwes who reigned and died are in the palace.
“Any attempt by Danjuma and his cohorts to desecrate the tombs of our fathers will amount to cultural genocide,” he said.
The Kuteb leader also accused Danjuma of preaching peace in the public while he has secretly instigated and funded many crisis in his hometown, Takum.
The very recent was the sponsoring of Fulanis to wipe out over 200 Kuteb villages preparatory to the forceful installation of a Chamba Chief inorder to weaken and silence the Kuteb people in Takum.
“The Kuteb through Ukwe Takum ruled Takum from 1510 to 1996 uninterrupted by any other tribe, how comes Danjuma is forging history that the Kutebs are people from the hills? Ukwen questioned.
Meanwhile, Gen. Danjuma during the convocation of the Chief of Takum described the Kuteb people as troublesome and urged the State Governor, Kefas Agbu to be careful with the Kuteb people.
Forefront recalls that Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria shortly after the appointment of the new chief of Takum, vowed not to recognise the newly crowned chief Sopiya Gboshi from Chamba tribe.
The Kutebs vehemently vowed not to recognise the new Chief and would exhaust every legal means to recover their ancestral stool.
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
Kogi State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of five persons in a fatal auto crash on Kabba-Obajana road in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of the state.
The State Sector Commander, Samuel Oyedeji, who confirmed the accident and death of the five to newsmen on Thursday in Lokoja said three others survived the accident with serious injuries.
Oyedeji attributed the accident which involved a Ford Galaxy space wagon and a Mazda car, to speeding and wrongful overtaking.
“The head-on collision between the two cars moving in the opposite directions happened due to speeding and wrongful overtaking by one of the drivers.
“We have been preaching against drivers flouting road safety rules and regulations, yet these motorists hardly heed our warnings.
“Five persons lost their lives in the fatal accident that left three others seriously injured,” he said.
The Sector Commander said that officers from the command immediately carried out a rescue operation at the scene of the accident and rushed the three injured persons to General Hospital, Kabba for medical attention.
Oyedeji said the remains of the five dead persons were also deposited at the mortuary of the Kabba General Hospital.
The Kogi Sector Commander admonished motorists to always endeavour to always obey road safety rules and regulations to avoid fatal auto crashes on the highways. (Ends)
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