By Ovie Okpare
Delta South senator, James Manager, has denied receiving contracts at any point from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) even while serving as the Senate Committee chairman on NDDC.
Manager challenged NDDC Executive of Projects, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, to come out with proofs that he had ever been awarded contracts by the interventionist agency.
NIGER DELTA TODAY (NDT) Online reports that Ojougboh has accused some lawmakers from Delta State including the Delta South senator of allegedly collecting contracts for members of the National Assembly.
Ojougboh also alleged that member of the National Assembly were also responsible for the failure by the commission to meet his mandate as lawmaker see NDDC as ” their farm land.”
But reacting to the allegations, Senator Manager in statement on Monday threatened to legal action against the Commission’s Executive Director of Projects for defamation if he fails to name the companies through which he allegedly collected the contracts.
He said, “I sincerely wish to react as follows: That My tenure as Chairman of Niger delta committee in the Senate effectively ended in 2015.
“That ever since then I have never visited NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt or any of its branches.
“That NDDC never awarded any contract to any company owned by me. That I do not know of any company owned by me, that has ever gone into bidding of Government job anywhere in the world.( This may come to many as a surprise many but that is the gospel truth).”
While challenging Ojougboh for proof of evidence, Manager noted that, “That those who are alleging to defame me must be aware of the consequences.
“That In the interest of the gullible innocent public, the authors led by the said Dr Cairo Ojugboh or any other person should provide among other things the following please;
“(A) detailed description of the said jobs. (B) names of companies. (C) payments already made and to whom?. (D) job performance. (E) The Directors as they appear in the Corporate Affairs Commission(CAC).
“That I sincerely in the name God request for proof of evidence. This is a very simple minimum demand.”
