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Akpabio opens more can of worms, names Uduaghan, Ibori, Orji Kalu in NDDC scam

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The minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godswill Akpabio has continued to name beneficiaries of contract scams in the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC.

Akpabio it would be recalled during the public hearing by the National Assembly on the activities in the NDDC had alleged that top politicians from the region were the greatest beneficiaries of the rot that had pervaded the commission.

His allegations which irked the lawmakers, prompted the Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila to request that the minister name beneficiaries of the scam or face legal consequences.

In a document attached to his response to the ultimatum by the House of Representatives, Akpabio listed senators who received 74 contracts from the commission between 2017 to date.

The document, as it turns out, also contained the names of former governors from the country’s oil-rich delta region.

The letter by Akpabio to the House titled ‘Some Niger Delta Development Commission Contracts Allegedly Given to Some Members of the National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives), named former governors of Delta State James Ibori and Emmanuel Uduaghan, former Governor of Abia State Orji Uzor Kalu and Senator Ifeanyi Ararume as beneficiaries of the corruption at NDDC.

One of the projects linked to Ibori was the emergency repairs of Onoghove community road from Ajanesan to Western Delta University at the cost of N485.7m.

Uduaghan was linked to the emergency repairs of Close B, Alhaji Estate & Environs, Rumuodomaya, Port Harcourt at the cost of N429m.

Five projects were linked to Senate Chief Whip Kalu, who was identified in the document as OUK-Kalu.

The details are: emergency repairs of Ezere-Acha-Ndiokoukwu Road (N517.9m) and repairs of Amaubiri-Eluama-Uru Ring Road, Lokpaukwu, Umuchieze (N560m).

Others linked to Kalu are Ndi Oji Abam-Atan Road (N523.7m), Okafia-Ozuitem-Bende road (508m), and the Ozu-Amuru-Abam Road at the cost of N523.4m.

The cost of the 12 projects linked to Senator Ararume, which are located in Imo and Rivers States, were not listed in the documents.

Some of the projects linked to Ararume include emergency repairs of Umuelemai-Aba branch road, Anara-Okwelle-Umuna Road, Okpara-Road junction-Ogili Community; all in Imo State.

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