*Lists questions Senator must answer
By Kemi Kasumu
United Kingdom-trained Delta State politician, Lauretta Onochie, has unleashed her final fangs on unapologetic self-acclaimed “thieves” whose corruption has continued to leave the Niger Delta people impoverished.
Her latest flare may have been ignited by her personal experience of a Senator, Peter Nwaoboshi, who she said was elected to represent his Anioma people but who declared himself with pride as a thief in the Anioma language.
“I was at an event in his home town when he spoke in our Anioma language, declaring himself a thief. I am an Ada Anioma. I was raised in Anioma land. We do not take what belongs to others, let alone pride ourselves in being thieves,” Onochie hit back at the senator.
Lauretta Onochie: I am an Ada Anioma. We don’t take what belongs to others.
The Digital and Social Media Aide to President Muhammadu Buhari was not done yet. She listed financial misdeeds of the senator, which she said are responsible for why he and his cohorts are jittery about the Forensic Audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) approved by the President.
She continued: “But we elected him to be our representative. Didn’t we. In 2023, he would be our deputy governor, had President Buhari not ordered a Forensic Audit to clean up the NDDC.
“All those talks about Lauretta Onochie is not dishing out cash is because I’m not a thief. You should be proud of me. I am proud of me.
“All those talks about Peter Nwaoboshi being a nice man for stealing your billions and giving you pittance, the chicken has come home to roost.”
It will recalled that Peter Nwaoboshi, who is a ranking member of the Nigerian Senate, has been after the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, and the team that President Buhari put together in the Interim Management Committee for NDDC clean up ongoing.
He has made a lot of claims bothering on allegations of contracts award by NDDC to the Minister, during his days as Senate Minority Leader.
Only yesterday, Monday June 8, 2020 the NDDC cleared the air on the Nwaoboshi’s dangerous allegations. It said neither was Akpabio awarded any contract by NDDC nor is there any record evidence to substantiate such claims.
Rather, the NDDC revealed how the claimant himself was the one that used 11 fronts to swindle the Commission through contracts awarded but either unexecuted or where certain supplies were made to his warehouse, he resold to Delta State Government.
In her official Facebook post on Monday, titled “NDDC – The chicken comes home to roost”, Lauretta Onochie said:
“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.”
This is just one, she said and promised, “We will be releasing more. Enjoy this” and she moved to details:
“The question Senator Nwaoboshi has refused to answer is to tell Niger Delta citizens and Nigerians his role in the award of contracts for the provision of 4,800 plastic desks and chairs for primary/secondary schools in nine (9) states of the Niger Delta in 2016 with award of contract letters dated 22nd September, 2016.
“The contract sum was for 3.6 Billion Naira. The revelations in the award of the said contract are mind boggling, disturbing and appalling, as all eleven different companies/business names which were awarded the contract are owned by or traceable to one and the same person being Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi, but carrying on business under different names.
“The said companies/business names are:
i. Noan Integrated Services;
ii. De Towers Constructions & Allied Services Ltd;
iii. Franstine Nigeria Enterprises;
iv. Edrihide Company;
v. Isumabe U.K. Global;
vi. Benchmark Construction & Allied Services Ltd
vii. Millstone Allied Builders Ltd.;
viii. Nelpat Nigeria Company;
ix. Agh-Rown Ventures;
x. Edendoma Stars International; and
xi. 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, not to the beneficiaries. 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. This is in 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,” she demanded answers from Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, who is Chairman Senate Committee on Niger Delta.
