Niger Delta

NDDC Denies Funding Edo APC Governorship Campaigns

Posted by: Quickresponse | August 12, 2024

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has denounced reports claiming it diverted funds earmarked for contractors to finance the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship campaigns in Edo State.
The commission in a statement signed by its Director, Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thomson-Wakama, said NDDC would not sponsor political parties contesting elections at any level of government.
The statement said: “To set the records straight, NDDC does not sponsor political parties or candidates contesting in elections at any level of government. Our mandate is to fast-track the development of the Niger Delta region.

“The Board and Management of the NDDC is now more than ever determined to uphold its mantra, which is, ‘Making a Difference’, in the lives of the people of the Niger Delta region.
“We urge members of the public to disregard the false stories spread by mischief-makers to derail the various innovations being introduced by the NDDC Board and Management, led by the Chairman, Mr. Chiedu Ebie and the Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku”.

The statement said the commission was aware of an increasing need to be seen to be more accountable to the public and to conduct its affairs more transparently.

“Responding to this reality, we engaged the KPMG, a reputable global business consultancy, to review and strengthen our corporate governance system, as well as improve our internal processes and institutional protocols. They have helped us to establish a new institutional culture, anchored on sound ethics and good corporate governance.

“As part of this control mechanism, we recently held a meeting with members of the NDDC Advisory Committee, comprising governors of the nine Niger Delta states, statutorily empowered to advise and monitor the activities of the Commission”, the commission said.
The statement further said the commission was committed to working with stakeholders to drive the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

It said: “To achieve this goal, we are collaborating with development partners, including the state governments in the Niger Delta region, ‘to build a region that is socially stable, economically prosperous, ecologically regenerative and politically peaceful’.
“We assure our stakeholders and members of the public that the NDDC Board and Management will not be distracted in its resolve to do things differently and make a difference in the Niger Delta region”.