HOW TIMI ALAIBE SHARED N45 BILLION UNDER THE GUISE OF CRAFTING A MASTER PLAN

AfricnaHerald Express

8 February 2011

HOW TIMI ALAIBE SHARED N45 BILLION UNDER THE GUISE OF CRAFTING A MASTER PLAN

A Press Release by NIGER DELTA COALITION FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE; Ekeki, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State; nigerdeltacoalitionfgovt@yahoo.com

The greatest legacy of the Olesugun Obasanjo to the people of the Niger Delta Region is the establishment of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. The Commission, in our candid opinion was created to assuage the fears of the people and address the critical developmental challenges of the region. The financial malpractices and corruption which led to the failure of past intervention agencies do not deserve any mention here. However, we wish to point out that the Enabling Act, which established the NDDC has a vision “to offer a lasting solution to the socio-economic difficulties of the Niger Delta Region”. The mission of the NDDC is to “facilitate the rapid, and sustainable development and to establish a region that is economically prosperous socially stable ecologically regenerative and politically peaceful”.

It is indeed unfortunate that NDDC which was established to give hope to the long suffering people of the Region is now engulfed in criminal fraud, unimaginable corruption and gross financial malpractices. Whereas most of the Directors and Executive Directors are fingered as accomplices, the Executive Director, Finance and Administration is believed to be the mastermind of the cascading fraud, all because Timi wants to build a financial empire for himself to use the stolen wealth to pay for the governorship of Bayelsa State, as if the position is given to the highest bidder. The governorship of Bayelsa State is not for sale to the highest bidder. We know that leaders are appointed by God through the people and as such leaders are supposed to be God fearing. The days are well over when governance was taken by force by a group selfish, opportunistic cabal. In a democratic system of government power ultimately belongs to the people. This is what Mr. Alaibe must appreciate.

The preceding paragraphs are highlights of a bigger picture of outright embezzlement and gross financial malpractices perpetrated by Mr. Timi Alaibe in the Niger Delta Development Commission, where he claims to have excelled.