These are not the best of times for Godsday Orubebe, the Niger
Delta Affairs minister.
Still battling to wriggle himself out of the allegations of stealing
and acquisitions of mansions in Abuja, made by the Dino Melaye,
led network against corruption, Orubebe is again riding in another
gathering storm of scandals.
Indeed, playing the script of the Delta Elders Forum and
leadership, Elder Edwin Clark, at a press conference in Abuja has
declared Orubebe ineligible to hold political office in 2015,
specifically he told Orubebe to forget his ambition of running for
the governorship of Delta state in 2015.
In a petition dated June 3rd 2013, which was sent to the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on June 11th 2013 and
entitled: A Petition on Economic Persistent Corrupt Practices,
Flagrant and Continued Disobedience of Law of the Land, made
available to this Magazine, a can of worms on the alleged corrupt
practices of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe
was opened.
According to the petitioners, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs,
which was created in 2008 by late President Umaru Musa Yar’
Adua to address the lack of infrastructure, development that had
led to youth restiveness and militancy, had become a conduit pipe
where billions of Naira by the Minister in collaborations with
contractors were stolen.
Specifically, the group mention the proposed construction of Skills
Acquisition Centers in each of the nine states that made up Niger
Delta, for the purpose of developing, harnessing the talents of the
youths of the area that produces the wealth of the Nation.
Though this proposal was projected for the building of the skills
acquisition centers, their construction for the intended purpose
which they were made have been shrouded in secrecy, as the
petitioners accused Orubebe whom they said in their petition
came from a very small community of Ogboagbene in Burutu
Local Government Council of Delta State, to have spent on a
worthless canalization project which connects to nowhere( Canal
to nowhere) at a cost of N1.2 billion. He was said to have equally
spent over 3 billion Naira on building a concrete foreshore wall in
his village, using contractors who were fronting for him, with a view
of appropriating the money to himself.
Meanwhile it was also gathered that the Skill Acquisition Center
meant for Delta State is also built in his ward in his small village.
Apart from the main contractors,rumor on the streets has it that all
other contractors are his blood relatives who are fronting for him
to collect billions of tax payers’ money.
Another case where he showed his corruption tendency was in
the case of Edo State Skill Acquisition Center, according to the
report against the recommendation of Public Procurement, Edo
State Acquisition which was awarded to Haglod Nigeria Limited
was terminated. Godsday Orubebe was said to have re-awarded
the contract to Messers TDCI-Sew Consortium for personal
reasons borne out of greed and self-aggrandizement rather than
for the good of the people.
Global Village Extra gathered that the contract for the Edo State
Skills Acquisition Centre was initially awarded in March, 2010 at
the cost of N2.7 billion but was revoked by Godsday Orubebe and
re-awarded to Messers Halgold Nigeria Limited for three billion,
one hundred and fifty million, fifty-five thousand, one hundred and
six naira, three kobo, in march, 2012. However, in 2012, the
Minister cancelled the contract and re awarded it to TDCI-Sew
Consortium on June 15, 2012 for the sum of N4, 627,222,904
without due process. Why the frequent cancellation and re-
awarding? Why the inflation of cost each time these contracts are
re-awarded? These are issues to be resolved if Nigeria must win
the war against corruption, the petitioners said.
The petitioners futher stated that in order to show the hidden
interest of Godsday Orubebe which bothers on corruption and
self-enrichment, by the time the tenders were opened on the 14th
of March, 2013, TDCI Sew Consortium whom the contract was re-
awarded to, was discovered to be a company not registered in
Nigeria. Messrs TDCI-Sew Consortium was registered on the 18th
of June, 2012 yet he and Godsday Orubebe as Minister of Niger
Delta awarded him the contract.
Also the Bureau of Public Procurement Report advised that unit of
Messrs TDCI-Sew –Consortium was too high and cannot be
justified. However, Messrs TDCI Sew –Consortium has a capital of
N15 million only, yet the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, under
Godsday Orubebe awarded a multi-billion naira Project to the
company.
However, it was gathered that the Bureau of Public Procurement
in dissatisfaction with the actions of the Ministry of Niger Delta
Affairs under Godsday Orubebe on Messrs TDCI-Sew-Consortium
said “due process certificate of no objection cannot be
guaranteed to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs for the re-award
of the contract for construction of Skills Acquisition center in Edo
State in favor of Messrs. TDCI- Sew Consortium in the sum of N4,
627,222,904 but the certificate of no objection can be granted to
the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs for the contract in favor if
Messrs Halgold Nigeria Limited in the sum of N3,150,065,136.03.”
However, instead of honoring the report, the Niger Delta Ministry
of Affairs under Orubebe as Niger Delta Minister disregarded the
report as Orubebe wrote a letter to the Bureau of Public
Procurement making a case in favor of Messrs TDCI-Sew-
Consortium in reference number MNDA/ID/247/Vol.IT/88 dated
2nd July, 2012, making a very strong case for the Messrs TDCI-
Sew- Consortium despite their conclusions. Why would the
Minister make such a case if Orubebe harbors no interest in the
award of the contract?
In another related development, Godsday Orubebe like any other
government official and Minister was living in Ministers’ quarters,
Minister Hill, Mabushi Area of Abuja. However, in the same area
Orubebe was said to have acquired a land and secured the
services of a construction company (Setraco) working in the East-
West road to build for him a magnificent building on a plot at no
personal cost. The property is said to be worth more than one
billion naira.
Aside the Setraco deal, he also got another construction company
working in East-West Road(Gitto) an Italian Company to furnish
the building lavishly at a free cost like a gift. Unfortunately, the
Managing Director of the Company Collapsed in the office of
Godsday Peter Orubebe and died later. Godsday Oruebe
attended the burial in Italy.
The petitioners added further that, surprisingly Elder Godsday
Orubebe denied in widely carried news in electronic and print
media, claiming that he was a tenant and the building does not
belong to him.
Meanwhile in a motion, Hon. Odeneyi Kehinde in his debate at the
house of representatives moved a motion for “disclosure”, the
honorable said the motion had become very necessary following
“disclosure of alleged corrupt practices labeled against a sitting
Minister by some Anti-Corruption outfits in the country.” A
summary of the allegation run thus; The Hon. Minister has paid for
20 many phantom projects. The Hon. Minister’s Bureau, is a case
of Perjury if established, for instance, he posited that he was a
seating tenant at his Mabushi Multi-billion naira but searches from
Abuja Geographic and Information Services proves beyond
reasonable doubt that the property is not only his but it is in his
name.
These weighty allegations were at first rubbished and dismissed
by the Hon. Minister the handiwork of his detractors and some
mischief makers who were out for extortion. But what is baffling
Mr. Speaker is not allegation of corruption against the Hon.
Minister but the fact that neither EFCC nor ICPC has deemed it fit
to wade into the allegation.”
The Hon. Member in his motion further said; “we have seen how
these agencies zealously pursue other far less allegations
involving less than $5,000.00 issue. their silence on this matter is
casting a very doubt on President Jonathan’s crusade against
corruption.”
Meanwhile the petitioners are asking; “Could the inability of EFCC
and ICPC stem from the fact that Orubebe is super powerful and
above the law as claimed? the petitioner added.
Source: Global Village
