An accountability advocacy group, the Citizens Quest for Truth Initiative, has expressed surprise at what it termed the “unusual interest” of the National Assembly in the tenure of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), as expressed in the group’s last press release.

The group said that as an accountability advocacy group, it “would have ordinarily welcomed the probe committee set up by the Senate on 13th May, 2020, but considering the timing, it is hard to accept.

“This is not for any other reason but the fact that there is currently an on-going forensic audit, instituted by President Buhari, on that commission. It is therefore a surprise that the Senate would rather probe an organisation already being probed by an arm of the same Government.”

A statement issued on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, jointly signed by Chief Obiaruko Ndukwe; President, Citizens Quest, and Francis Ndimkoha, National Publicity Secretary, stated: “To a large extent, the Senate is not only setting up a conflict of interests with the Executive, but also, indirectly raising objections to the forensic audit.”

The statement further read: “Citizens Quest believes that the Senate could as well move a motion to the effect that whatever area of their interest, if not covered by the terms of reference given to the forensic auditors.

“We are worried that the IMC will rather be distracted in their mandate to the Niger Delta, faced by various probe teams. This is inimical to the development of the region, which the senate claims to favour. This probe, coming at a time the commission has taken delivery and about to distribute Covid19 Test kits and set up test centers in the 27 Senatorial districts of the region, is anything but well intended.

“Again, we are shocked that a senate that has refused to lend a voice to the clarion call by Citizens Quest and other stakeholders in the Niger Delta region, for urgent attention and completion of the abandoned East-West highway. This is a flagship project of the region, which is now comatose.

“We yearn for an effective NDDC, probably, more than any other individual or group has done in recent times, and we urge the Senate to support the speedy conclusion of the Forensic audit, while allowing the IMC the needed concentration to function.”