Otu applauds NASS oversight of commission’s projects in C’River
A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has struck out a suit filed by Paul Arochukwu Ogbonna and another applicant against the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), seeking the release of the long-awaited forensic audit report of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The suit number CS/236/2022 was instituted in 2022 by a group, Social Action, following the refusal of the then Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to provide it with access to the audit report.

The plaintiffs had approached the court to compel the ministry, formerly overseen by Godswill Akpabio, to make the document public.

However, subsequent developments altered the trajectory of the case. With the dissolution of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs by President Bola Tinubu upon assuming office, the plaintiffs amended their processes to join the AGF as the appropriate legal representative of the Federal Government.

Delivering judgment, Justice Turaki Mohammed struck out the suit, ruling that it was incompetent as it was originally filed against a non-existent government agency.

Despite the absence of legal representation for the AGF during proceedings, counsel to the plaintiffs, Victor Nweke, addressed journalists after the ruling, expressing dissatisfaction with the court’s decision.

He maintained that the case had been pursued in the public interest and disclosed that his clients are considering further legal steps to ensure access to the audit report.

Meanwhile, the Cross River State Governor, Bassey Edet Otu, yesterday received members of the joint National Assembly Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) at the State Executive Council Chamber, Calabar, as the lawmakers embarked on oversight of ongoing projects across the state.

The delegation, comprising members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, was in the state to evaluate the performance, transparency, and impact of development interventions executed under the NDDC framework.

Welcoming the delegation, Otu expressed appreciation for their visit and commitment to accountability, describing their oversight function as pivotal to national development.

“Let me begin by warmly welcoming this distinguished delegation and expressing my sincere appreciation for your presence here today,” he said. “Your efforts, oversight, and commitment do not go unnoticed.”

The governor noted that the visit would further strengthen collaboration between federal institutions and subnational governments, adding that such engagements deepen governance outcomes.

“What you are doing encourages us and strengthens our own resolve to do better. Committees such as yours serve as critical instruments of accountability and progress,” he stated.

Otu also acknowledged the impact of federal interventions in the state, emphasising the importance of sustaining them. “Your interventions, particularly those driven by the Federal Government, have been both timely and impactful. We must ensure they are sustained, properly implemented, and ultimately beneficial to our people,” he said.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC, Asuquo Ekpenyong, said the visit was part of the committee’s constitutional mandate to assess projects and ensure value for public resources.