In the past few weeks, Sahara Reporters has once again resorted to its familiar antics of publishing sensational headlines and unverified allegations, this time targeting the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and its Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku.
At the center of their latest campaign is the claim that the Commission spent ₦5 billion of public funds to finance Dr. Ogbuku’s 50th birthday celebration. For a media house that once prided itself on speaking truth to power, this descent into reckless propaganda demonstrates just how far Sahara Reporters has strayed from responsible journalism.
The allegations are not only false but also a deliberate attempt to distract from the Commission’s visible developmental strides. As has been clarified repeatedly, friends, family members, and associates of Dr. Ogbuku solely sponsored the birthday events—not the NDDC. Yet Sahara Reporters, without evidence, continues to peddle these malicious claims.
This feature sets the record straight, exposes the declining credibility of Sahara Reporters, and highlights the tangible progress being made under the leadership of Dr. Ogbuku.
Understanding the NDDC Mandate
Created in 2000, the Niger Delta Development Commission was tasked with addressing decades of environmental degradation, economic neglect, and underdevelopment in the oil-rich Niger Delta. Its mission is clear: to improve infrastructure, create opportunities, and promote sustainable development across the nine Niger Delta states.
As Professor Aleri Timi, a development scholar at Niger Delta University, notes:
“The NDDC is not just another federal agency; it is the hope of millions in the Niger Delta. The stakes are always high, which is why misinformation about its operations must be treated with utmost caution.”
It is against this background that the recent attacks by Sahara Reporters must be analyzed: not as acts of investigative journalism, but as calculated distractions aimed at undermining the Commission’s credibility.
The ₦5 Billion Birthday Allegation: A Manufactured Scandal
According to Sahara Reporters, “multiple sources” alleged that over ₦5 billion in public funds were diverted for Dr. Ogbuku’s birthday. Yet, despite these bold claims, the platform has failed to produce a single shred of verifiable evidence.
The Commission, in a public statement, was categorical:
“The NDDC did not fund or allocate any resources to Dr. Samuel Ogbuku’s 50th birthday celebrations. These events were entirely sponsored by his friends, family, and associates, who came together to honor him.”
Community leaders who attended the celebrations have also dismissed the allegations. Chief Ebikeme Perekeme, an Ijaw elder, remarked:
“I was at one of the thanksgiving services. Everything I saw was coordinated by his personal friends. To accuse the NDDC of spending billions on it is pure mischief.”
This is where Sahara Reporters’ reporting collapses under scrutiny. In journalism, credibility is earned by presenting facts, figures, and documents—not vague references to unnamed “sources.”
Sahara Reporters: From Watchdog to Rumor Mill
At its inception, Sahara Reporters built a reputation as a fearless media house exposing corruption. But in recent years, it has steadily traded investigative rigor for cheap sensationalism.
Its current reporting style raises troubling questions:
Why does it consistently rely on unnamed “sources” instead of hard evidence?
Why does it ignore official clarifications and public statements?
Why are its stories increasingly one-sided, focusing only on allegations while neglecting responses?
Dr. Florence Ayibakuro, a media analyst, captures this decline:
“Sahara Reporters has become the tabloid of online media—more interested in clicks than credibility. When a platform begins to recycle unverified gossip as fact, it stops serving the public interest.”
The latest attack on the NDDC is simply another example of this downward spiral.
NDDC’s Tangible Legacy Under Ogbuku
While Sahara Reporters chases shadows, the NDDC is delivering on its mandate with visible projects across the Niger Delta. Contrary to claims of stagnation, several major projects are nearing completion and will be commissioned next month. These include:
1. The Kaa-Ataba Bridge in Rivers State
A 1.2 km bridge connecting Andoni and Kana LGAs.
Provides an alternative route to Bonny Island.
Expected to enhance trade and ease travel for thousands of commuters daily.
2. Specialist Hospitals in Ikom (Cross River) and Port Harcourt (Rivers State)
Designed to improve access to advanced healthcare.
Equipped with modern facilities for maternal care, surgery, and emergency response.
3. Road Linking Rivers and Abia States, Including the Ikaa Bridge in Akwa Ibom
A 30 km road and bridge project connecting rural communities to economic hubs.
Reduces travel time and boosts inter-state commerce.
4. Bonny Ring Road in Rivers State
A 27.14 km road project with 13 bridges.
Connects Bonny Town with surrounding communities, opening access to oil and gas installations.
5. Okirika-Borikiri Bridge in Rivers State
Reduces bottlenecks and supports commerce between Port Harcourt and riverine communities.
These are not promises; they are projects on the ground. As Mrs. Boma Waribugo, a trader in Rivers State, testified:
“For years, we were cut off during the rainy season. With the new bridge at Kaa-Ataba, we can move our goods more easily. This is the kind of development we prayed for.”
Transparency and Accountability Measures
Another falsehood Sahara Reporters pushes is that the NDDC under Ogbuku operates in secrecy. On the contrary, the Commission has embraced reforms to enhance accountability. These include:
1.Quarterly briefings to update the public on project status.
2 Partnership with Govspend and procurement portals to ensure spending is transparent.
3.Community engagement forums to involve stakeholders in monitoring projects.
As Dr. Ogbuku himself stated at a recent stakeholders’ meeting:
“We are building not just roads and bridges, but trust. The people of the Niger Delta deserve transparency, and under my watch, the NDDC will remain accountable.”
