Senator James Manager has denied the claim that he was among National Assembly members that received contracts from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Manager, who represents Delta South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, was among lawmakers listed in a document purportedly submitted by Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, containing the names of beneficiaries of NDDC contracts.
But, in a statement on Monday, Manager challenged the Executive Director, Projects of the NDDC, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, who he accused of being behind the listing of his name in the agency’s contract beneficiaries to prove the allegation with evidence.
He said Ojougboh and any other person accusing him should show evidence of any NDDC contracts he got during and after his chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs.
“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.
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“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 for government jobs anywhere in the world. (This may come to many as a surprise but that is the gospel truth).
“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 Ojougboh or any other person should provide among other things the following please:
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“(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,” Manager said.
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