By Ovie Okpare
The Presidency has denied reports that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the dissolution of the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) following the recommendation of the Nigerian Senate.
It described the report as “fake news at work.”
The Nigerian Senate had on Thursday recommended to Buhari for the dissolution of the interim management committee following alleged financial recklessness running into several billions of naira and extra-budgetary spending by the commission.
The lawmakers also urged the President to return NDDC to the Presidency for direct supervision.
NDDC is currently under the supervision of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs where Senator Godswill Akpabio is the minister.
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There had been no love lost between the National Assembly and Akpabio, a former senator and governor of Akwa Ibom State, over the running of the interventionist agency.
But reacting to reports of the dissolution by President Buhari, the presidency denied the development, saying such did not emanate from the media unit.
A statement on Friday signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said, “A statement purportedly signed by me has been making the rounds that the Federal Government has dissolved the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC.
“Merchants of fake news in action. The communication did not emanate from the media office of the President. Please ignore.”
