A coalition of Niger Delta Civil Society Organizations, has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari, to keep to his anti-corruption promises made to Nigerians.
The petition signed by Comrade Jude Ojiugo-Onochie and 21 others, told the president that it would be in the interest of Justice, equity and good conscience that you use your good office to ensure that their petition and request is taken seriously and the people’s demands are acceded to.
The group in a petition dated September 29th 2021, said “We, coalition of Niger Delta Civil Society Organizations, had identified with your anti-corruption policy in which you vowed, when you took over the mantle of leadership of Nigeria on May 29, 2015, to combat corruption no matter whose ox is gored.
“Your Excellency, in bid to keep to this vow, you have taken many bold steps which includes your inauguration of an Audit Committee in August 2019, to carry out forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission from inception to date”.
The group said it would not fold its hands and watch the report of the Committee, for all it worth, to be swept under the carpet, as the case has been with other committees’ reports in the country after the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, submitted the report two after.
The group quoted Akpabio to have said that the audit revealed a total number of 13, 777 contracts that were awarded from 2001, valued at over N3 trillion, that were abandoned.
“It becomes imperative for the president to take the notch a little further by ordering discreet investigation into the compromised contracts/projects with view to bringing perpetrators to book”.
The group called on the president to authorize the publication of all the details of the over 13, 000 abandoned projects/contracts as in the forensic audit report, publish the details of the contractors involved in the abandoned projects, published the names of those who approved the said contracts among other demands.
Meanwhile, in another petition, addressed to the Attorney General of the Federation, Shehu Shagari, the group demanded for a copy of the forensic report aimed at promoting accountability and transparency in governance.
“In line with the Freedom of Information Act (2011), we humbly request for a copy of the NDDC Forensic Audit Report submitted to the president on 2nd of September 2021”.
The group threatened to take all appropriate legal actions if their request was turned down.
