Chief Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has dissociated himself from a recent report in the Media attributing his rumoured arrest to the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri.
In a statement signed by Dr. Willie Etim, SA Media to the MD of NDDC, Dr. Ogbuku condemned in very strong terms the news report attributed to a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which insinuated a rift between himself and the Governor, and cautioned that there is no rivalry in the APC Family in Bayelsa State.
According to the statement, “it is also important to clarify that any comments or opinions expressed by anyone on political matters in Bayelsa State should be regarded strictly as their personal views and not as a representation of the views or position of Dr. Ogbuku.”
“The attempt to link the governor to political controversies or rumours of arrest is both misleading, mischievous, and unnecessary.
“We want to use this medium to express our sincere apology for any embarrassment the publications may have caused the Governor and call on all party faithful to exercise restraint in public commentary, especially when such remarks could mislead the public or misrepresent facts,” the statement concluded.
It would be recalled that a few days ago, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) threatened legal action against two national newspapers for allegedly publishing false reports linking its Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, to a purported plot to overthrow the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to the NDDC, both The Punch and Daily Times newspapers recently published stories suggesting that Dr. Ogbuku was implicated in an alleged coup plan. The Commission has since described the reports as entirely baseless, defamatory, and damaging to the reputation of both the Managing Director and the federal government agency.
In a statement issued in Port Harcourt, the NDDC demanded a public retraction and apology from the two newspapers, calling the publications “false and reckless fabrication
intended to mislead the public.”
The Commission’s counsel, Adedipe and Adedipe Legal Practitioners, led by Chief Ayodeji Adedipe, SAN, has issued a formal legal notice to The Punch, Daily Times, and other media outlets that circulated the report. The letter demanded the withdrawal of the story and an unreserved public apology.
According to Chief Adedipe, the publications “falsely alleged that Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, was arrested by military intelligence for co-sponsoring a failed coup plot against President Tinubu.”
“The report further claimed, without any factual or evidential basis, that Dr. Ogbuku transferred funds from NDDC contracts to finance the alleged coup. These allegations are entirely false, malicious, and defamatory,” Adedipe stated.
The letter emphasized that Dr. Ogbuku had not been arrested, questioned, or invited by any authority regarding any alleged coup or financial misconduct. It also accused the newspapers of breaching journalistic ethics by failing to contact either Dr. Ogbuku or the NDDC for clarification before publishing the story.
“This reckless and damaging report has caused Dr. Ogbuku and his family deep emotional distress, embarrassment, and reputational harm,” the letter read. “Friends, associates, and colleagues have inundated him with calls expressing concern over the unfounded claims.”
Through his legal representatives, Dr. Ogbuku demanded that The Punch and its editor, Awwal Owolabi, immediately retract the story from all platforms and publish a written apology in at least four national newspapers, including five consecutive editions of The Punch, across print, online, and social media.
The NDDC warned that failure to comply within seven days of receiving the legal notice would result in both civil and criminal proceedings under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024) and other relevant laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
