Ijaw Youths Urge Buhari To Sack Akpabio Over NDDC Audit Report

THEIjaw Youths Council ( IYC) Worldwide has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio over alleged mismanagement of the Niger Delta Development Commission’s ( NDDC) audit process.

The IYC, in a statement signed by its President, Peter Timothy Igbifa, said sacking Akpabio would give way for the inauguration of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC) following the submission of the forensic audit report.

Igbifa accused Akpabio of deliberate mismanagement of the audit process by deploying delay tactics, selfish politics and wicked maneuvering to maintain his stranglehold on NDDC against the collective interest of the region.

He alleged that Akpabio was not ready to allow the NDDC to serve the collective interest of the region but was determined to keep the commission under his whims and caprices.

According to him, Akpabio had worked out plans to retain the control of NDDC and keep the commission running under a sole administration, adding that the only way to give the NDDC the desired board was to sack the minister.

Igbifa appealed to the Presidency to approach with caution some of the recommendations contained in the forensic audit report submitted by Akpabio.

He said: “We were told that Akpabio ensured that selfish recommendations were smuggled into the report. If these recommendations are implemented, they will deny states adequate representation on the board and give Akpabio more time to continue running the NDDC with a sole administrator.

“For instance, we learnt that there are recommendations for a part- time board and reduction in the number of the board members. These suggestions are not feasible because they are designed to extend the sole administrative regime in NDDC. They require amendments of the Act establishing the NDDC and this will take at least six months to achieve.