An alleged plot to siphon N480 billion belonging to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has seen the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions summoning the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Umana Okon Umana.
According to the committee, the minister is expected to appear before the it on the 10th of November, 2022.
The summon by the committee chaired by Senator Ayo Akinyelure (PDP Ondo Central), follows a petition written against him by an insider in NDDC on alleged plot to siphon N480 billion intervention fund domiciled in Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Speaking with journalists on Wednesday, October 19, on behalf of the entire members of the committee, Senator Akinyelure said Niger Delta Affairs Minister as clearly stated in the petition, has allegedly perfected plans to seek presidential approval to collect the money on the guise that the money would be spent on special projects.
Further, he said several other allegations were levelled against him among which is his refusal to forward two annual budgets of the NDDC (2021 and 2022) to the National Assembly for approval while money are been spent by the commission on the orders of the minister therefore taken the power of appropriations to himself.
Senator Akinyelure added that the minister is also being summoned to explain why he sacked over one hundred NDDC staff on assumption of office aside plotting to sack the current NDDC Sole Administrator, Effiong Akwa who was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari and have him replaced by one of his cronies.
Meanwhile, the committee has mandated Danladi Umar, the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), to re-appear before it for physically assaulting a security guard, Clement Shargwak in Abuja in March 2021.
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