President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Mr Effiong Okon Akwa as the interim administrator for the NDDC.
A statement issued on Saturday by the special adviser to the president on Media and Publicity – Femi Adesina, revealed that Mr Akwa would “assume headship till completion of the forensic audit.”
Until his appointment, Mr Akwa was the Ag. Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the Commission.
President Buhari approves interim administrator for the NDDC
He is Mr Effiong Okon Akwa, the Ag. Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the Commission, who is to assume headship till completion of the forensic audit.
— Femi Adesina (@FemAdesina) December 12, 2020
Hours before the announcement of his appointment, a coalition of Niger Delta militants, under the aegis of the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA), had sent a protest letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, describing Mr Awka as Akpabio’s brother.
The militants who believe that Mr Awka would act as Akpabio’s stooge, warned that his appointment as Sole Administrator of the NDDC would trigger a new round of violence in the creeks of the region.
The RNDA in a statement issued by its Coordinator, ‘General’ Johnmark Ezonebi said: “The appointment of a sole administrator alone without the appointment of an EDP and EDFA in the commission is unacceptable and immoral.
“It will enable Akpabio to siphon, divert and embezzle billions of naira into private pockets from the money recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
“If Akpabio is allowed to have his way and announce the name of Mr Efiong Okon the present EDFA as the sole administrator to oversee the NDDC alone excluding the appointment of EDP and EDFA, then the RNDA, we will be left with no option but to declare a total war in the creeks to cripple the economy. We will also announce operation zero crude oil to flow in the creeks of the Niger Delta.
