The Office of Senate President Godswill Akpabio has challenged former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi to provide evidence for his claim that contractors working for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) face a 50 per cent deduction from their payments.
Amaechi made the allegation on Saturday at an African Democratic Congress (ADC) rally at Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi. The report says he did not provide details or evidence at the event.
In a statement on Sunday, Akpabio’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, said the claim was serious and should be supported with facts. The statement asked Amaechi to identify the affected contracts and contractors, specify when the deductions were made and explain what evidence connects Akpabio to them.
The Senate President’s office said any credible evidence should be submitted to the appropriate authorities for investigation.
The statement also questioned aspects of Amaechi’s record as Rivers State governor from 2007 to 2015. While acknowledging that his administration launched projects in infrastructure, education, health and transport, it called for scrutiny of their costs and outcomes.
It cited the Port Harcourt monorail, raising questions about its reported cost, implementation and delivery of services. It also asked for details of spending and results from the “Malaria-free Rivers State” initiatives.
The office said the NDDC should not become a battleground for political disputes and urged that allegations concerning the Commission be addressed through credible investigative processes.
Amaechi, the ADC’s vice-presidential candidate, also told the rally that the party would win all 13 states in the North-East and North-West in the 2027 presidential election.
The reported 50 per cent deduction claim and the response from Akpabio’s office have not been independently verified.
