One of the contractors accused of underhand dealing by Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), High Chief Nelson Agbamuche, has denied allegations against him.
Agbamuche, the Odozi Ani of Akwukwu Igbo Kingdom, in a statement personally signed by him, said allegations levelled against him by NDDC’s acting Executive Director of Projects, Cairo Ojougboh, were fabrications and false.
He thereby urged anti-corruption agencies and security agencies in the country to investigate the claims with the aim of bringing his accuser to book.
“I repeat, I am a High Chief in my kingdom, I do not engage in any of those things he mentioned in the falsehood.”
According to the statement, Ojougboh had mentioned his name as a contractor for one Senator or fronting for the Senate.
While debunking the claim, Agbamuche said, “How can someone make such a hideous accusation without any iota of
truth? I do not have any business relationship with anybody in the Senate and the whole National Assembly. How can I start fronting for anybody at my age and level? Is that not an insult?
“I am a High Chief in my Kingdom. I have been executing contracts in NDDC since 2012 and I have never been found wanting.
“I execute any contract I win diligently because it is for the benefit of our people who are daily deprived by these opportunists who find themselves in positions of authority.
“I am a Nigerian and ably qualified to bid for contracts anywhere, including NDDC.
Cairo also mentioned a particular contract for the supply of plastic chairs.
“Let me put it on record that over 15 contractors were engaged for that supply. Just like other contractors, I delivered satisfactorily.
“All contractors were meant to lease warehouses for a certain period for the purpose of warehousing the goods with the supervision of NDDC because the commission’s Warehouse could not contain the supplies.
“Mine was not different, my company leased a warehouse to store those items under the supervision of NDDC officials until they were distributed by same officials. Records are there. I do not understand why he would barefacedly make these baseless allegations without studying his files to know the facts. Perhaps that is what happens when you are on a blind mission.”
He also described Ojougboh’s claim that he was given 1,000 projects on behalf of some people as false.
“Since 2012 that I started bidding for jobs in NDDC, we have not even won up to 50 or 100 jobs. Is he not having access to files in the office? Can Nigerians please help me announce to all of them to leave me out of their battle. I do not have anything to do with any of those allegations; they are baseless and very fallacious,” he stated.
The Acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, recently accused the National Assembly of working against the forensic audit ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Pondei made this allegation in a press statement issued on Tuesday by the Commission’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili.
However, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on NDDC, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, dismissed the allegations, saying that both the Senate and the House are in full support of the forensic audit ordered by the president.
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