A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, Chief Richard Kpodoh, has called for a comprehensive probe of all activities and transactions of the ousted Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Professor Nelson Brambaifa.
Kpodoh, who made the call in a chat with newsmen in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, said even though Brambaifa has been sacked, he must not be allowed to go free because of the rate of decay in the commission.
He said: “The time is now ripe for a comprehensive probe of all activities and transactions of the NDDC under the ousted Acting Managing Director, Prof Nelson Brambaifa.
“The last six months was terrible for the Niger Delta because never in the history of the NDDC have we experienced such bare-faced corruption.
“Brambaifa ran the place like a family affair. His son was chief of staff. His wife was Special Assistant. Where on earth have you seen this?
“When the former acting MD would travel, he would go with his family members and they lavish our money anyhow they wanted. If you see what they did with our money in London during their last trip before he was sacked, you will weep.
“His erase was the worst. They would award so -called contracts for the clearing of water hyacinth but the job will not be done. They will share the money.
“They would award contracts for emergency roads construction and the job will either not be done or it will be very poorly done. Yet, the money has gone.
“Brambaifa is my kinsman but I am ashamed of his performance. Some of us had to stand by him in the early days of his administration but when it dawned on us that he was leading the commission to perdition, we withdrew our support.
“That was why I had to call on the new ministers to institute an audit panel to probe the commission as part of their initial duties. I am happy that he has been sacked. At least, there won’t be nothing obstructing the probe.
“The same Brambaifa went to the collapsing Eleme bridge with a promise that work would start immediately to avoid its collapse.
“About four weeks after, nothing happened and now he has been sacked. Let EFCC probe this man. Thank God that Features key amount is now in the ministry of Nigeria Delta. A can of worms will surely be revealed about his activities.”
Kpodoh also urged the new board to ensure a clear departure from the style of administration adopted by Brambaifa, saying that it behoved on them to clear the mess that Brambaifa put the commission into.
