NDDC: PDP Accuses Ruling Party Of Plans To Stall Corruption Probe

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday, accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of trying to shield some of its leaders implicated in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) probe before the national assembly.

It also accused the APC under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration of being the “headquarters of corruption,”

APC had on Tuesday, said the PDP was “dead-scared” of the outcome of the 2001 to 2019 forensic audit and legislative inquests of the NDDC operations, adding that the party was doing everything to sabotage and frustrate the audits.

The APC also noted that it expressed support for the forensic audit of the NDDC, which spans 19 years, including the first 4 years of the President Buhari administration.

But a statement issued by PDP’s Spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan said the party was aware of APC’s plot to stall the corruption probes.

According to Ologbondiyan, APC’s attempt to accuse it over the “collapse” of the acting NDDC Managing Director, Daniel Pondei, at the National Assembly, “apparently under the weight and shame of the massive corruption in APC administration further exposes APC’s misery.”

He said “Under this administration, no government agency is safe from the pillaging fingers of the APC. The APC and its administration is a huge labyrinth of corruption where APC leaders, cabinet ministers, heads of agencies and departments, presidential aides, anti-corruption agencies and even APC federal lawmakers are all entangled in sharp practices.

“The disgraceful and scandalous appeal of ‘Hon Minister, off your microphone’ situation at the National Assembly sums it all.”

The PDP spokesman also called on the APC to “find its voice and speak out on the litany of evidence in the public space, showing how its leaders have been stealing billions of naira NDDC fund while people of the region, wallow in abject poverty and despondency.

“It is imperative to state that the APC must address the new peel of its labyrinth of corruption at the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) where their leaders and cronies have been fingered in alleged involvement of looting of about N4.448 billion through underhand contracts.”

He listed some federal government agencies embroiled in allegations of corruption in the APC under the Buhari’s administration to include FIRS, NEMA, EFCC amongst others.

“We know that the APC leaders are now having sleepless nights. However, pointing accusing fingers at others, destroying evidence, resorting to antics at the National Assembly as well as threats, intimidation and attempt to silence vital witnesses will not help the APC as the headquarters of corruption,” he added.