- Says no contract awarded to Sen. Godswill Akpabio
- Wants Senator Nwaoboshi to step aside from Senate NDDC probe
Emmanuel Thomas l Monday, June 08, 2020
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Niger Delta Commission(NDDC) has named Chairman, Senate Committee on the Niger Delta, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi among those alleged to have looted the commission and currently making spirited efforts to stop it from carrying out the much publicised forensic audit.
In a statement, the NDDC alleged that Senator Peter Nwaoboshi looted the commission to the tune of N3.5 billion through eleven(11) front companies, owned or traceable to him.
“Our records show that Senator Nwaoboshi used 11 front companies (owned or traceable to him) to secure a contract of N3.6 billion in September 2016, in what is perhaps the biggest single case of looting of the Commission’s resources”, the NDDC said in a statement by its Director, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Charles Obi Odili.
The commission identified the companies as Noan Integrated Services; De Towers Constructions & Allied Services Ltd; Franstine Nigeria Enterprises; Edrihide Company; Isumabe U.K. Global; Benchmark Construction & Allied Services Ltd; Millstone Allied Builders Ltd.; Nelpat Nigeria Company; Agh-Rown Ventures; Edendoma Stars International; and Antlers Construction and Allied Works Ltd.
“The inventory records show that these items were supplied and received on Senator Nwaoboshi’s business premises and warehouse. Meanwhile, the contracts were awarded to him.
“However, some of the items supplied to Nwaoboshi’s warehouse through his cronies, were later resold to the Delta state government, while the others were sold to other states through contracts awarded to him. All supply agreements were signed by one and the same person being Mr. Agbamuche Nelson, traceable to Senator Nwaoboshi”, the NDDC said in a statement signed by its Director, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Charles Obi Odili.
The NDDC described the development as a flagrant contravention of section 58(4) (a) and (d) of the Public Procurement Act.
“No wonder Sen. Nwaoboshi and his cohorts are jittery about the ongoing forensic audit exercise in the NDDC and are doing everything possible to derail it”, he said, adding that until Senator Nwaoboshi can absolve himself of his role in the looting of the resources of the Commission, he should step aside from any investigative activity against the Commission.
The statement added that contrary to Senator Peter Nwaoboshi’s outrage, the NDDC did not award any contract of N500 million to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
“The Commission wishes to state that it has searched through its records and there is no evidence of any contract awarded to Senator Akpabio or any company associated with him by the NDDC”, the statement said and that from findings, the person who has questions to answer to the Niger Delta People is Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.
