Alleged 50% NDDC deductions: Akpabio challenges Amaechi to provide evidence
The Office of the President of the Senate has called on former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi to provide documentary evidence for his claim that Senate President Godswill Akpabio implemented a 50 percent deduction from payments made to contractors of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The request for clarification comes in light of statements made by Amaechi during a political rally in Bauchi State on November 14, 2026, where he accused Akpabio of instituting the deductions.
Eseme Eyiboh, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President of the Senate, issued a statement on Sunday, emphasizing the need for verifiable evidence concerning the serious nature of the allegations. Eyiboh noted that allegations of this magnitude should not be taken as fact without supporting documentation, particularly given their implications for public institutions and financial management.
Eyiboh challenged Amaechi to specify the contracts and contractors involved, the timing of the alleged deductions, and the payment processes through which they occurred. “The questions are straightforward: Which contracts are involved? Which contractors were affected? When were the alleged deductions made? Through what payment arrangements did they occur? What evidence establishes the personal involvement attributed to the President of the Senate?” he stated.
Furthermore, Eyiboh suggested that instead of making accusations at political events, Amaechi should bring any evidence he possesses to the appropriate investigative authorities.
The statement also referenced Amaechi’s tenure as Rivers State Governor from 2007 to 2015, calling for scrutiny of his administration’s projects. Notably, the Port Harcourt monorail project and the Malaria-free Rivers State initiative were highlighted, raising concerns about public expenditure, project implementation, and overall value for money. Eyiboh pointed out that the monorail project had been mired in controversy regarding its cost, incomplete status, and lack of effective transportation service.
He argued that questions about these projects should not be resolved through political rhetoric but through thorough examination of expenditures, contractual obligations, and results.
“Public accountability does not begin and end with one’s political opponents. It extends to every public official entrusted with resources, authority, and responsibility,” Eyiboh said.
He cautioned political figures against allowing the upcoming 2027 general elections to disrupt responsible public discourse and stressed that allegations surrounding the NDDC’s finances should follow a credible investigative process.
“The people of the Niger Delta deserve functioning infrastructure, transparent procurement practices, completed projects, and measurable developmental outcomes,” the statement concluded. Eyiboh reiterated his request for Amaechi to present any credible evidence to relevant authorities for investigation, emphasizing that public accountability relies on correlating allegations with substantiated evidence.
“The credibility of a public allegation must rest not on the volume of its delivery or the status of its author, but on the quality of the evidence supporting it,” he stated.
