Wike queries NDDC’s N500bn budget proposal, says budget fraudulent

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has described the N500 billion appropriations contained in the 2023 Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) budget proposals before the National Assembly as fraudulent.

Wike, who questioned the huge figure in Port Harcourt on Monday, also alleged that politicians were itching for approval of the NDDC budget so they could share it to run 2023 elections.

“Governor Wike revealed that within the total NDDC estimate of N500 billion, N70 billion is expected from the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG); N4 billion earmarked for distilling of public drains and N60 billion earmarked as support to security agency.

“Wike said it laughable to see a development agency like NDDC earmarking N4billion to clean public drains when it is supposed to attend to strategic development issues in the region.

“He queried why NDDC will earmark N60 billion to security agency and not devote it to enduring project and see the derivable impact.

“Governor Wike claimed politicians are already mounting pressure on the National Assembly members to speedily pass the NDDC budget so that it can be shared in lieu of the 2023 general election that is approaching”, the media aide to the state governor, Kelvin Ebiri, said in statement.

On the festering crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wike alleged there are hired boys now commissioned to attack him and label him as a destroyer of the party because he is speaking up for fairness, justice and equity.

He, however, said he remains unwavering in the demand for equity, fairness and justice, particularly the demand that the national chairmanship of the PDP goes to the South, challenging anybody to mention any benefit, in terms of projects, Rivers State has gained for its support to the PDP since 1999.

The governor, in self appraisal, said he has from 2019 till date built 12 flyovers, delivered the N17billion Dr. Nabo Graham Douglas Campus of the Nigerian Law School within 10 months and those who opposed it are now scrabbling to get space for their wards to be admitted.

He emphasised that the major problem in Nigeria is not availability of money, but leadership that can stand on truth to promote it and be empathetic towards building a virile society that offer good life to the citizenry.