The Office of the President of the Senate has challenged former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, to provide documentary evidence to support his allegation that Senate President Godswill Akpabio introduced a 50 per cent deduction from payments to contractors of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
The challenge followed remarks attributed to Amaechi at a political rally in Bauchi State on Saturday, 14 November 2026, where he accused Akpabio of introducing the deductions.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President of the Senate, Eseme Eyiboh, said the allegation was serious but required verifiable evidence.
“The former governor offered no contract documents, payment records, identifiable transactions or other verifiable particulars to substantiate his accusation,” the statement said.
Eyiboh maintained that political allegations should not be treated as established facts without supporting evidence, particularly when they concern public institutions and the management of public funds.
He urged Amaechi to identify the contracts, contractors and payment arrangements involved in the alleged deductions.
“The questions are straightforward: Which contracts are involved? Which contractors were affected? When were the alleged deductions made? Through what payment arrangements did they occur? What evidence establishes the personal involvement attributed to the President of the Senate?” he asked.
The Senate President's spokesman said Amaechi should submit any available evidence to the appropriate investigative authorities rather than make accusations at political gatherings.
The statement also drew attention to Amaechi’s record as Rivers State Governor between 2007 and 2015, arguing that his administration's projects should equally be subjected to public scrutiny.
It specifically mentioned the Port Harcourt monorail project and the Malaria-free Rivers State initiatives, raising questions about public expenditure, project implementation and value for money.
According to Eyiboh, the monorail project attracted controversy over its reported cost, incomplete implementation and failure to deliver the anticipated public transportation service.
He said questions surrounding the projects could not be settled through political exchanges but required proper examination of expenditure, contractual decisions and outcomes.
“Public accountability does not begin and end with one's political opponents. It extends to every public official entrusted with resources, authority and responsibility,” he stated.
The Senate President's spokesman further cautioned political actors against allowing the approaching 2027 general elections to undermine responsible public discourse.
He said allegations involving the NDDC's finances, contracts and administration should be addressed through credible investigative processes.
“The people of the Niger Delta deserve functioning infrastructure, transparent procurement, completed projects and measurable developmental outcomes,” the statement added.
Eyiboh also called on Amaechi to present any credible documentary evidence in his possession to the relevant authorities for investigation.
He said public accountability depended on testing allegations against evidence and assessing public expenditure against measurable results.
“The credibility of a public allegation must rest not on the volume of its delivery, the status of its author or the occasion on which it is made, but on the quality of the evidence supporting it,” he said.
Alleged 50% NDDC deductions: Akpabio challenges Amaechi to provide evidence