LAGOS OCTOBER 8TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Militant groups across the Niger Delta region have accused the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio of bribing Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo with $1million to stop his agitation for appointment of the substantive board of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC
Tompolo allegedly accepted the sum of $1million USD as appeasement to cancel his 7-days ultimatum which demanded that the Presidency announce, confirm and inaugurate a board for the NDDC.
The various groups in a statement signed by Commander Ayapele Gowon, alias “Pele” warned Akpabio to cease from the continued sabotage of the new NDDC board, including his plan of appointing another Interim Administrator to run the affairs of the NDDC into 2022.
“Akpabio has turned NDDC funds into his personal family funds. He frequently threatens the Interim Administrator Mr. Effiong Akwa with immediate sack and has been using this intimidation tactics to compel Mr. Akwa into approving payments in the billions of naira to Akpabio and his family as the people of the Niger Delta region looks on as if they have been bewitched, or as if they have collectively lost their God given sense of responsibility and accountability.”
“Akpabio is worried about changing Mr. Akwa’s signature in the Single Treasury Account (TSA) before their expected Ecological funds is deposited into the NDDC’s TSA account, therefore Akpabio has allegedly devised a plan to sack Mr. Effiong Akwa after the NDDC receives their huge Ecological funds which according to our sources might be close to N100billion. He intends to use Mr. Effiong to approve payments to his cronies, and afterwards Mr. Effiong Akwa will be sacked, and a new Interim Administrator will be appointed to run the NDDC into 2022.”
Commander Gowon cautioned Akpabio not to take the good people of the region for a ride. Gowon stated that Akpabio does not have the interest of the region at heart. He is saddened that whenever there is money in the NDDC, Akpabio will summon Mr. Akwa to Abuja to a private hotel or guest house away from the Commission, where Akpabio will threaten Mr. Akwa to pay the billions of naira to his front companies owned by his friends and family members. According to a source, Akpabio will tell Mr. Akwa, “pay or I sack you.”
Gowon all warned Mr. Effiong Akwa to cease from being used as Akpabio’s tool to loot the treasury against God’s will for the people in the region. “Mr. Effiong Akwa can’t serve two masters, he should resign from his position to focus on the mandate that God has given him to lead his flock in his church. He can’t be participating in the stealing of public funds while pledging his loyalty to Akpabio and at the same time be calling on the name of God.”
“Mr. Effiong Akwa hardly stays in his office at the NDDC headquarters. He is always hiding away from people and his office. He hardly spends 7 days sporadically out of the 30 days in a month in his office. The NDDC is not a private business therefore Mr. Effiong Akwa should resign immediately. There are loads of files to be treated in his office, people are suffering, genuine contractors are not paid, this trend must end,” Gowon said.
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