NDDC contracts: Ibori, Kalu, Uduaghan confront Akpabio

NDDC contracts: Ibori, Kalu, Uduaghan confront Akpabio

Senator Godswill Akpabio

…Akpabio, calm down, I took no contract from NDDC — Ibori

…Issues at stake in NDDC about missing funds, not jobs done — Kalu.

Former governors, Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Orji Kalu (Abia) and James Ibori (Delta), yesterday challenged the Minister of Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who supervises the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to substantiate his accusation that they took contracts from the interventionist agency.

This came as the Senate, yesterday, revealed how the Interim Management Committee, IMC, of the NDDC spent N3.175 billion on COVID-19 in Niger Delta within two months, April and May, 2020 respectively.

However, management of the interventionist agency, in a swift reaction, said the entire expenditure was a form of cash palliatives distributed by the Expanded Interim Management Committee, EIMC, for sharing among staff, the Police, the youth and communities in the states.

It also declared that there was no fraud in the agency, saying some conspirators were just bent on blowing the whistle to heat up the polity.

Akpabio’s allegations false — Uduaghan

A source told Vanguard that Uduaghan, who was taken aback by the unscrupulous allegation against him and two other former governors, sent a text message to the minister to clear the air on the matter.

Uduaghan denied taking any contract from NDDC, wondering why his name was linked to the scandal.

Uduaghan, who reacted through a statement by his Media Assistant, Mr Monoyon Edon, said: “The attention of Dr Uduaghan has been drawn to a publication that the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Akpabio, has linked two former governors of Delta State, James Ibori and Emmanuel Uduaghan, to contracts awarded by the NDDC.

“In the said publication, it was stated that Uduaghan was linked to the emergency repairs of Close B, Alhaji Estate & Environs, Rumuodomaya, Port-Harcourt, at a cost of N429 million.

“We want to state very clearly that the said accusation is false. Dr Uduaghan has never approached the NDDC for any contract whatsoever. It is even more ridiculous that the said contract is a road inside Port Harcourt town.

“Dr Uduaghan has drawn the attention of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Akpabio, to the publication and hopes he makes a correction. Members of the public are advised to disregard the mischievous publication.”

NDDC issues have to do with missing funds, not jobs done — Kalu

On his part, Chief Whip of the Senate and former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Kalu (APC, Abia North), while denying the allegation, said: “The issues at stake in the NDDC have to do with missing funds and not jobs that have been executed.”

Kalu said he was becoming worried over his name being used indiscriminately to sell newspapers without verification.

He said: “As a community leader, I do not intend to stop my interventions on roads in NDDC states because all the states need good roads. Good roads help to drive the economy. Therefore, I believe the NDDC forensic audit should focus on missing funds and not works done.

“They should focus on paying contractors that delivered their jobs and not using my name indiscriminately to sell newspapers.”

Kalu in a statement by Emeka Nwala said the road projects mentioned by the minister were the interventions he facilitated for the communities as a private citizen before he became a senator, adding that his name was mentioned because he used his letter-headed paper to write a sympathy letter to the NDDC in 2016, requesting and pleading with the body to rescue roads in Abia.

He said: “I was governor of Abia State between 1999 and 2007 and never held any public office until June 11, 2019, when I was sworn in as a senator. Between 2016 and 2018 during my tour of several communities, leaders and welfare unions of most communities pleaded for urgent intervention on some dilapidated roads .

“I wrote to the NDDC informing the body of the conditions of these roads and the need for their attention since Abia is an NDDC state.

“The NDDC in their consideration, for which I am very grateful, awarded the roads to companies that duly tendered for the projects and not myself. Whatever link I have with the projects is because it was considered due to my intervention.

“The roads I requested for intervention as mentioned by the Minister were repairs of Ezere-Acha-Ndiokoukwu Road; Amaubiri-Eluama-Uru Ring Road; Lokpaukwu; Umuchieze; Ndi Oji Abam-Atan Road; the Okafia-Ozuitem-Bende Road and Ozu-Amuru-Abam Road.

“The contractors have completed and delivered these roads long time ago, except Abam-Atani road which I learned from the contractors was slowed down due to rain but still ongoing.

“Meanwhile, it would interest Nigerians to know that the contractors who built these roads have not been paid any dime. It has not been easy with the contractors but because it’s a community project, they have only but kept hope alive on the NDDC.

“I am so much concerned about roads because I understand the economic importance of good roads, that’s why I built several roads when I was governor. Even as a senator, it would interest you to know that my major constituency projects are road constructions, reconstructions and rehabilitation. We have put in plans to finish 19 roads in Abia North before end of 2021.

“Akpabio is my good old friend. We have been friends even before I became a governor. I hope he doesn’t expect me to stop seeking for road interventions in our communities. It is his civic responsibility to support the communities and I am very confident he will oblige our future requests, especially in areas of good roads.”

Akpabio, calm down, I took no contract from NDDC —Ibori

On his part, former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, said he did not receive any contract from NDDC as alleged by Senator Akpabio.

Ibori, in a statement by his media assistant, Mr Tony Eluemunor, urged Akpabio to “calm down and focus on the task at hand.”

Eluemunor said: “On hearing the news of the alleged NDDC contract award to him from the former governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Senator Akpabio, as published in a newspaper and other online publications, he did not want to join in the ‘dance in the market square’ going on in the NDDC right now.

“He has decided to make this clarification for the records because friends and associates inundated him with phone calls. So, he is stating categorically that he never solicited for, or was awarded, or indeed executed any contract for NDDC or any government agency, at any time, for that matter.

“In all he has been through in and out of public office, he has never been accused of being a government contractor, let alone a failed one, hence he did not want to dignify the allegation with a response because it is ridiculous. So, Ibori is advising Akpabio, his brother, friend and member of the former Governors Forum, to please calm down and focus on the task.