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Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.

Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (Delta North) has denied allegations that about 53 NDDC contracts were executed by him between 2017 and 2019.

Describing the allegations as part of the several lies churned out by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Godswill Akpabio in an attempt to ridicule and undermine the probe by the National Assembly into the financial activities of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC, Nwaoboshi in press statement signed by his Legislative Aide in his constituency office, Old Anwai Road, Asaba, Mr. Awele Onokwai, Snr., stated that at no time did he execute any contract for or on behalf of the NDDC.

He pointed out that since the 53 contracts in question were awarded to companies, Nwaoboshi said it would be necessary to get at the truth of who owns the companies by getting confirmation from the Corporate Affairs commission (CAC) which registers companies.

“As a matter of fact, he who alleges must prove and it is on this sacred maxim that we are challenging the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs to liaise with the Corporate Affairs Commission to publish, for public consumption, the names of Shareholders as well as Board Of Directors of the companies that executed the repairs of the purportedly 53 contracts awarded to Distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi,” the senator said.

Full text of Senator Nwaoboshi statement reads:

Good day, Ladies and gentlemen of the Press!

I sincerely welcome all of you to the Constituency Office of Distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, representing the good people of Delta North Senatorial District.

The essence of this Press Conference is to address the allegations credited to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, where he, alleged that about 53 NDDC contracts were executed by Distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi between the years 2017 and 2019. Said allegations were made in a letter sent to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

Ordinarily, we would have waived these allegations with the left hand but because silence could connote consent, it is pertinent that we set the records straight for the sake of posterity and for the greater sake of the unsuspecting general public, who may be Hoodwinked into believing the several lies constantly churned up by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs in an attempt to ridicule and undermine the probe by the National Assembly into the financial activities of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC.

We make bold to state categorically, the following:

1. Since his election into the Nigerian Senate as the Senator representing the good people of Niger Delta, Distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi has, at no time whatsoever, executed any contract on for or on behalf of the NDDC.

2. The 53 contracts allegedly listed to have been executed by Distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi were awarded to different companies and we believe these companies must be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), a federal parastatal charged with the responsibility of overseeing the existence of corporate entities in Nigeria.

3. As a matter of fact, he who alleges must prove and it is on this sacred maxim that we are challenging the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs to liaise with the Corporate Affairs Commission to publish, for public consumption, the names of Shareholders as well as Board Of Directors of the companies that executed the repairs of the purportedly 53 contracts awarded to Distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.

4. On several instances, Distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi has publicly challenged his detractors to publish their facts for the general public and up until this very moment, none have been able to provide water-tight prove or evidence in their failed attempts to implicate the Distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.

5. As far as Senator Peter Nwaoboshi is concerned, his hands are clean. He is neither a staff of the NDDC nor is he saddled with the responsibility of paying contractors and it becomes extremely mischievous of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs to try and drag the reputation of the esteemed Lawmaker in negative lights.

6. It is highly instructive for the general public to be wary of the incoherent nature of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and his acolytes planted in the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC. Initially, these inglorious liars told Nigerians and the world that a seating Senator was awarded 1,000 contracts in the NDDC and when pressed to shed some light on such weighty accusation, they recanted to 350 contracts and when further quizzed, it suddenly became 53 contracts. The level of inconsistency of the Minister and his stooges at the IMC is quite alarming and legendary and Nigerians can see the desperate but failed attempt by them to cover their tracks but then, lies have short legs, they don’t travel far.

7. We challenge Senator Godswill Akpabio to Account for the over N81bn he has so far misappropriated at the NDDC and stop diverting the attention of the general public. If Senator Godswill Akpabio feels there are incriminating issues which need to be addressed, we urge him to go to the relevant security agencies.

8. Senator Peter Nwaoboshi as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta is absolutely committed to discharging his legislative and oversight functions as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended) much to the admiration of his constituents and Nigerians at large and no amount of paid media campaign of calumny against his person or Office will take his feet off the gas as he is determined to serve Nigerians distinctly.

Thank You All.

Awele Onokwai SNR

Legislative Assistant To Senator Peter Nwaoboshi
(Constituency Office)
27th July 2020