The Media Advocacy for Anti-Corruption (MAAC) said it has unearthed
plans by the Rivers State Government to slander the Acting Managing Director of
the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, reports
ITRealms.
A press statement endorsed by the MAAC national coordinator,
Mr. James Okoronkwo, the state Commissioner for Information and Communications,
Dr. Austin Tam-George, was alleged to have compiled fictitious memos and
doctored receipts to push out to mainly online and print media concerning
Semenitari’s period as commissioner under the administration of Rt. Hon. Rotimi
Amaechi, the current Minister of Transport.
“The plan, being coordinated by the state Commissioner of
Information and Communications, Dr Austin Tam-George, is to cast her as corrupt
and unfit in order to sway public opinions against the NDDC’s boss and
hopefully, compel President Muhammadu Buhari from confirming her as substantive
MD and as well send the anti-corruption agencies against her,” he said.
Source at the ministry of information, MAAC quoted said that
“the Rivers government is desperate to taint her, given her impeccable
character and time as commissioner. They are of the opinion that if they can
sufficiently rubbish her, President Buhari will be forced not to appoint her as
the substantive MD of the NDDC. They have also targeted her to be the first
point of attack after Governor Wike's victory at the Supreme Court on
Wednesday.
“My brother, don’t be surprised if you see statements from
the PDP Rivers state chapter claiming that the Acting MD of the NDDC sponsored
the APC matter at the tribunal through award of fictitious contracts as well as
alleging that she appointed 23 aides from Rivers state alone.
“The end product is to pitch the other NDDC states against
her and ensure that her tenure is characterised by crisis and mistrust.”
The group further alleged that besides these malicious
allegations, the Rivers PDP and commissioner of information have engaged the
services of hack writers and columnists to dish out jaundiced articles and
opinions against the NDDC especially her efforts to reposition the
interventionist commission.
“These people are not resting about madam (Semenitari). They
have hired people to demonstrate every week at the NDDC headquarters in Port
Harcourt claiming to be community leaders whose communities have been marginalised
since she assumed office.
“The wicked one is their plans to release photoshop pictures
of her allegedly in compromising situations with men, even women,” the source
disclosed.
The group recalled that in early January, Tam-George had
alleged that Semenitari obtained a loan of N1billion as commissioner, a charge
that was rebuffed given that no ministry by law under the former administration
was allowed to take loans.
“The state commissioner when presented with the fact could
not substantiate his fact further,” they said.
The group, therefore, called on the public to be wary of
this sinister plan by the Rivers government against the NDDC boss, advising
them to take note of those to hold responsible for any incidence that may
befall Semenitari.
Nenye Egbuna/GEE
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