The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has appealed to the Federal Government to release the report of the forensic audit carried out on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Wike made the call during an interview on Politics Today on Friday, while speaking on the performance of a former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, as a Minister of Transport under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He claimed the report was shelved to protect those who might be indicted in any form of fraud.
The forensic audit initiated by the Federal Government in 2021 investigated the financial transactions and project implementations of the commission from its inception in 2001 to August 2019.
It aimed to identify mismanagement, misappropriation of funds, and other irregularities. Wike said, ”Let President Bola Ahmed Tinubu do us a favour and release the report of the forensic audit of the NDDC.’
”Mr President should help Nigerians.” Wike’s statement comes a day after Amaechi questioned his successor’s source of wealth. The minister said he came from a comfortable home and did not need to steal any money from public funds, alleging that Amaechi was one of the most corrupt human beings.
”I won’t say I was too rich like the Dangotes, but I didn’t have a small background. His (Amaechi’s) anger is that he saw me using a Rolls-Royce -and so what?
”It was not given to me by a contractor, a contractor gave him and that is a bribe.
“He took from a contractor, but I will not do that. He (Amaechi) is one of the most corrupt people,” he said.
Wike also said that if his accusations were not contained in the NDDC forensic report, he would resign his position as the FCT minister.
“Let them release the document, if what I am saying is not in the document, I will resign as the minister of FC.T. I don’t worship the office,” he said.
The minister also questioned the qualifications of Amaechi, claiming that the former Minister of Transport failed to graduate from the Rivers State University.
“Amaechi went to Rivers State University, but he couldn’t pass,” he said.