NDDC: Contract scandal, others tear In Delta

…..Leaders on warpath over undue process
…..3 APC chieftains accused of contracts’ hijacking
Contracts, including other internal crisis have continued to allegedly unsettle the All Progressives Congress Party (APC) Delta State Chapter, investigation reveals.

Following the contract scandal, a chieftain of APC in the state, Chief Hyacinth Enuha has alleged that a presidential aide, one Miss Lauretta Onochie, has been contracted to blackmail some of the party leaders in the state, especially the likes of Executive Director Projects; NDDC, Engr. Sam Adjogbe, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi and Chief Nicholas Mutu on the cards.

But in a swift reaction through the telephone, the presidential aide, Miss Lauretta Onochie denied the allegation, saying that those behind the alleged crisis were charlatans.

It was gathered that trouble allegedly started at the APC stakeholders’ meeting convened by the former leader of the elders and leaders committee faction of the party in the state held at the country home of the chieftain (chief Hyacinth Enuha) in Ogwashi-Uku,” over the scam.

Alleged text message stated by Chief Enuha to convene the secret meeting exclusively obtained, stated thus: “In view of the ugly and unacceptable situation whereby all NDDC projects accruable to Delta state have been hijacked by just 3 persons to the detriment of other stakeholders in the state, you are invited to an all stakeholders’ meeting.”

According to our sources, who attended the secret meeting, but pleaded for anonymity, they said that the trio of the Executive Director Projects, Engr. Sam Adjogbe; Chairman of Senate Committee on NDDC, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi

and the chairman House of Representatives committee on NDDC, Chief Nicholas Mutu, have conspired and hijacked 65 projects advertised by the NDDC to be executed in Delta State to the detriment of other APC members.

They also accused the EDP of channeling the projects he hijacked through another party leader, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor who then allocated such projects only to APC members loyal to him and the state party chairman, Prophet Jones Ode Erhue to the detriment of members of Chief Enuha’s faction.

The course also disclosed that the group resolved to write a strong worded petition that will indict the EDP and embarrass the NASS members to the presidency and it would be routed through Ms. Onochie who had allegedly boasted that she has President Buhari’s ears; and could handle anything through her immediate bosses in the presidency, Mr. Femi Adesina and Shehu Garba.

It is generally believed that the action is anticipated to engineer the sack of the EDP, Engr. Sam Adjogbe, as his loyalty, as believed by the group is for a section of the party and not the entire APC in Delta State.

When contacted on telephone by our reporter, Chief Enuha didn’t pick his call, but in a text message, he convened the meeting, but denied calling for the sack of the EDP. “I never called for the sack of the EDP or any aforementioned persons, though I convened the meeting but no such decision was taken.”

Speaking also, media aide to Chief Enuha, Nnamdi Ofonye, said: “A meeting was actually convened by Enuha but they did not talk about calling for the sack of the EDP as part of those that hijacked the projects, adding that, the meeting was called for stakeholders to discuss and try to find on what is happening to the NDDC projects in the state”.

However, when contacted, Comrade Elvis Ayemanor, who also attended the meeting, said that: “We resolved to meet with the Minster of State for pPetroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, who will led a delegation of the group to meet with the NDDC chairman to express our grievances with the hope of getting results by ensuring that other groups are carried along in the contract allotted.”

He added that, “the group also resolved that if the meeting with the NDDC chairman failed to yield the desired result, we will take the next step by petitioning the presidency.

When contacted, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, while denying any involvement in contract hijacking, explained that though he is aware of the meeting called by Chief Enuha, he is yet to know its outcome saying, “I believe there must be some misunderstanding somewhere and I believe that the APC in the state is capable of resolving its issues.”

Our sources said that those who attended the meeting included Ms. Lauretta Onochie, Evang Ossai Abe, who represented Chief Great Ogboru, Mr. Elvis Ayomanor, Dr. Veronica Ogbuagu, DIG Donald Ugbaja and Mr. Denis Mene, among others.

It would be recalled that the Delta APC is just emerging from a fractious internal tussle for supremacy among various factions, which have now recognised the state Exco- led by Prophet Jones Ode Erue as the legal Exco of the party.

Meanwhile, the various factions have now converted themselves into pressure groups within the party while holding on to their hard-line members.

In another development, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has described as laughable and farcical drama in the recently decamping of the former South South Leader of the party, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh to the APC in Agbor.

In a statement issued by the Publicity Secretary of the party (PDP), Mr. Ifeanyi Michael Osuoza, a copy made available to our reporter, Ojougboh under the guise of decamping to the opposition party, acted a comical spectacle that did not come to the PDP as a surprise, adding:

“It is rather unfortunate that since Ojougboh lost out in his bid to become Governor of Delta State and indeed after his political miscalculation by opting not to contest for the Delta North Senatorial seat and possibly lay sympathetic claim to a two-term electoral concession from the Ika ethnic nationality,

following the decision of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa to vie for the governorship after a meritorious tenure in the Senate, Dr. Ojougboh has devised one devious plot after another in his futile attempts to discredit Governor Okowa and distract him from delivering good governance and prosperity to Deltans.”

The statement added that it seems difficult for Ojougboh to comprehend the clearly stated application of the bailout and paris club refunds, adding Ojougboh should feel free to contract labour leaders in the state details of how the Paris Club Fund was spent.

It stated further: “We further advise Ojougboh to stop wallowing in the kind of ignorance unbecoming of the minimal credibility left in fading political stature and stop embarrassing himself with fakery and simplistic arguments that do not dignify him”.

It would be recalled that Ojougboh had alongside over 14, 000 persons decamped to APC, and accused Governor Okowa of allegedly diverting the Paris Club Fund belonging to the state to other sources.