Show evidence I received NDDC contract – Senator Manager dares accusers

Senator James Manager, the senator representing Delta South senatorial district, has challenged the acting Executive Director, Projects of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Cairo Ojougboh to show evidence that he is one of the lawmakers in the national assembly that received contracts from the commission.

Dr Ojougboh last Friday at the palace of the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Chike Edozien during a courtesy call on the monarch prior to the launch of an N450million police equipment fund sponsored by the NDDC, had fingered the lawmaker among others as contract beneficiaries of the commission.

Senator Manager in a statement on Monday, in what he described as the Gospel truth, said though it may come as a surprise, he did not know of any company he owns that has ever gone into bidding of government jobs anywhere in the world.

He said: “My tenure as chairman of Niger Delta committee in the Senate effectively ended in 2015. Ever since then, I have never visited NDDC headquarters in Portharcourt or any of its branches. “NDDC never awarded any contract to any company owned by me. Those who are alleging to defame me must be aware of the consequences.

“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 detailed description of the said jobs, names of companies, payments already made and to whom as well as the directors of the company as they appear in the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC.”