Bayelsa: N4.5bn NDDC Funds Diverted For Sylva’s Election – PDP Alleges

Sylva-DicksonThe Bayelsa State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised alarm over an alleged diversion of N4.5b belonging to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to fund the governorship campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Timipre Sylva.

The director of publicity of the Restoration Campaign Organisation, Jonathan Obuebite, in a statement on Thursday, urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the matter.

The RCO is the political machinery of the PDP candidate in the December 5 governorship election, Governor Seriake Dickson.

The statement alleged that the said funds were diverted through “illegal” awards of contracts to the APC candidate’s cronies by the NDDC.

It specifically alleged that the contracts were given out for “shore protection” in Opoma, the hometown of the APC candidate and Fantuo, a community in Nembe Local Government Area, adding that there was no evidence of ongoing work in the areas.

The RCO claimed that the PDP was in possession of the contract documents, adding that the party also had it on “good authority” that the said contracts were phantom and conduits to siphon money to fund Sylva’s election.

According to the RCO, a disbursement of N1.5b was made, out of the total contract sum of N4.5b, and channeled to the Sylva’s campaign.

At the time of publishing this report, the APC and Sylva campaign organisation had not yet responded to the allegations.