A former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Obong Nsima Ekere is not under arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), according to the Coalition of Southern Professionals led by its National President, Dr. Hart Williams.
In a statement on Tuesday, the group said that news reports to that effect are being used to deceive some undiscerning readers.
Williams warned those he called “hatchet writers and fake news merchants” to desist from soiling the name of the top politician.
The statement added that it has activated investigative processes to determine where the fake story emanated from. The group said that its checks through insiders at NDDC have revealed that the forensic audit of the commission did not indict Ekere, “neither has he been invited to shed light on any matter during his administration as a result of the audit or any other matter”.
The group urged Ekere to continue to work for the betterment of Akwa Ibom State, the South-South region and Nigeria in general.
The statement read: “His Excellency Mr. Nsima Ekere is not under arrest or investigation by EFCC or any other agency. He is an upright professional and technocrat who discharged his duties excellently the few times he has been called upon to do so.
“It is not fair to tag people like Nsima Ekere who worked assiduously to ensure NDDC was transformed as corrupt, while the real corrupt people are enjoying immunity.
“Today as we speak, the man has no invitation not to talk of an arrest. There is no probe of ₦47 billion or any other amount. How people would just sit down and conjure fake news shocks those of us in this coalition.
“The allegation is a lie from the pit of hell. Pending investigation of the source, we suspect that this is the handiwork of political foes”.
The statement called on Nigerians to ignore the “fake” story and urged them to focus on nation building and support the new government.
