The coalition noted that at the expiration of the ultimatum, it would be left with no option than to seek a legal redress and compel the government to respond to its request.
A coalition of 26 civic groups in the Niger Delta region, the Niger Delta Anti-Corruption Network, has given the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Obong Umana Okon, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, a 14-day ultimatum to release the Forensic Audit Report of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) or face a legal action.
The coalition noted that at the expiration of the ultimatum, it would be left with no option than to seek a legal redress and compel the government to respond to its request.
In a statement signed by the Programmes Coordinator, Social Development Integrated Centre, Isaac Botti, on behalf of the coalition, the groups said Nigerians deserved to know how public funds had been spent over the years by the agency.
The statement read, “As a responsible anti-corruption coalition committed to the rule of law, democracy, probity, and accountability in government, we have resolved that the government must make public the NDDC Audit Report to enable Nigerians to know how public funds were spent over the years by the agency but more to justify the public funds spent on the Forensic Audit Report.
“Consequently, for the coalition to drive home its demand on behalf of the Nigerian people and itself and to deepen the anti-corruption policy of this government, it hereby gives the relevant government agencies, officials, and departments particularly the Ministry and Minister of Justice and the Niger Delta Ministry and Minister 14 days to release the said report and make same public.
“It is worth noting that at the expiration of the said period, the coalition will have no other option than to seek a legal redress compelling the said agencies to respond to its request and demand as stipulated in our laws particularly the Freedom of Information Act 2011.
“In the past year, the coalition had advocated for the NDDC Forensic Audit Report to be made public and to this effect wrote to relevant government agencies and departments. You will recall that due to the perceived corruption, ineptitude, failure, and inability of the Niger Delta Development Commission [NDDC] to deliver on its core mandate of developing the Niger Delta Region, the government instituted the financial audit of the agency to ascertain how the huge financial resources committed by successive Nigerian governments to the agency was utilised.
The statement noted that the coalition had issued a Freedom of Information request in line with Section 1 [1] of the Freedom of Information act 2011 to the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and the letter was duly received on October 4, 2022.
Also on October 12, 2022, a freedom of information request was sent to the office of the Minister for Niger Delta Affairs demanding and requesting that the NDDC Forensic Audit Report be made public.
But the ministries failed to respond to the request by the coalition in line with Sections 4 and 7 of the Freedom of Information Act and other extant legislations in Nigeria, the coalition noted.