“Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” – Walter Scott
The embattled Acting NDDC Managing Director, whose name I cannot remember in full but only remember him as Pondei, co-scripted a movie in cahoots with certain elements who assured him to engage in the act and that he would be saved. In absolute stupidity he accepted. I chose to call him stupid because, the world isn’t just about money but one’s image and that of his family. He didn’t take that into consideration.
Senator Akpabio is known to have been the person who the DSS raided his guests’ house, which is actually the official residence of the President of Nigeria in Uyo. The same individual who crashed his Mercedes Benz G- Wagon SUV and was flown out of the country for a so called medical treatment, ultimately it resulted in the end of that money stash saga. That same Akpbabio returned to the Senate to castigate the government he now serves.
Have we, as Nigerians ever wondered why Honourable Minister of State, Festus Keyamo SAN chose to be transferred to a non lucrative (sic) Ministry. The reason for Keyamo’s action is called principle. Simple as that.
Someone called me in February of 2016 and asked where I was, upon telling him, he was in my company at the shortest he could drive. As soon as he got out of the car, he said to me, “Bello, there is serious problem. I asked what it was, and he said he was a part of a meeting in which it was agreed for money to be raised to bring Buhari’s government down by giving it a bad name through propaganda. The names include almost every major tribe and religion in Nigeria as such don’t no body even begin to think its a north/south or Muslim/Christian thing.
God Is not in their plans, religion and region are only a tool that get used when the need to deceive Nigerians arises. In the meeting, he continued, “ I didn’t leave till I witnessed $40 million realised on the spot!” Almost everyone present pledged an amount which reached the above figure.” I asked him why he was telling me, knowing that I have recourse to the President, he said “the President must here this now!” I said I will try my utmost best.
I placed a few calls right in his presence to a few elite who are close to PMB and I believed their character to be unblemished then (as I can’t vouch for them now). I was assured he would be informed. I was actually asked what I think would be a way to create a counter anti-propaganda machinery to help stabilize the country and its people. I freely gave counsel but to my dismay, it became a money making venture to those people.
Back to the NDDC scandal, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was created specifically to cushion the effect of the wickedness caused the Niger Deltans by multinational corporations but, instead the resources which lay below the earth in their backyards and on their farms to be used to develop the region, the funds are being frittered away while the common Niger Delta people are fettered in perpetual doom and gloom in their lands with their resources. Could it be any more grim than that.
Akpabio was believed to have wielded more power than Saraki during the 8th Assembly. It was said his office was a Mecca of sorts where Senators sat in his waiting room taking turns to see him. He was that powerful, I guess because of the loads of Benjamins alleged to be in his possession. He was busy as Senator castigating the administration which he now sits in. The most respectable room in the country, the Federal Executive Council to delineate matters of development and anti-corruption with Buhari, I’m not calling him a criminal but, there are several indictments labeled against him that haven’t been fully attended to.
The Acting-Chairman of the NDDC, Pondei has plunged into a pond and may not be able to resurface from this political pigsty he got himself into simply because he was out to defend Akabio to the point he said he was not with his copy of the budget. A document which he was specifically called upon to report about. Upon being asked if an expense was appropriated for, he dilly dallied and finally said “no”. Those two letter finished him. He sealed his fate. Prison is the abode of such people who commit such acts.
Pondei realised this as such he bent his head as though betrayed by his lips and his eyes seemed to be saying “what did you just say?” And his movie started. Akpabio’s saving grace could be because he stated categorically that the National Assembly got most of the contracts. Such dirt cannot be cleaned by a soiled hand. You cannot be a thief and try to catch a co-conspirator (that is if it is established Akpabio did steal from his Ministry). If he did, then a lot of National Assembly members will be caught in the web as well.
Coming to President Buhari, whether he is sick, docile, inept, caged (as he said himself) or whatever terminology he wishes to use to represent his innocence cannot turn a blind eye to this. If they allow this matter to die like all the other matters, I fear for this country.
We are the easiest people to govern should the government do certain things right. And we can be as nasty as they come when pushed. As it is, Nigerians are not pushed against a wall but to the edge of a cliff and all we can do is shove ourselves forwards or else we will plunge down to our deaths. My advise to the President, call the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Director General of the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Inspector General of the Nigerian Police for a closed door meeting with no press or politicians present. The moment
that is achieved, arrests should be seen flying all around the country for any fingered individual or group. Then the moment of truth, he should concentrate on the long awaited and most important project his administration should have faced head-on from his assenting office as against this wanton anti- corruption war which only gets worse by the day. I’m speaking of uniting Nigerians to understand our diverse differences and learn to respect each others’ boundaries and live in peace and harmony.
But statements from certain powerful individuals only worsened the relationship between citizens across the Niger. Agreed we have a second Niger Bridge being built and people always say it’s done for the Igbo, please picture this; the Igbo sell their things to the north while the north supplies raw material or certain produce unavailable in the south. In essence, the bridge is for the benefit of the country as a whole.
Less than 12 hours ago Alhaji Sama’ila Isa Funtua slumped and that was it, about a month ago, the immediate past Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Maikanti Baru was visited by The Angel of death, again about 3 months ago Abba Kyari was taken ill but was only seen in a white container, a dead man. I wonder where people leave their senses at all times. For those who wish to steal, by all means please do. I fear the Wrath of God upon you of the Nigerians when pushed will rise.
“One does not fight corruption by fighting corruption.”
– Daniel Kaufman
“If corruption is a disease, transparency is essential part of its treatment.”
– Kofi Anan
