8.4 C
New York
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Uduaghan Replies Accusation, Denies Embezzling N200bn DESOPADEC Funds

Published:

LATEST NEWS

- Advertisement -

Roli Uduaghan

By Amos Igbebe, Asaba

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Thursday, denied allegations raised by a group of Deltans who accused the Governor of embezzling over N200bn which was appropriated to the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC).

The group, under the aegis of Delta Youths for Good Governance and Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum led by Comrade Prince Kpokpogri, had alleged that the Governor had embezzled the fund and was speeding up plans to scrap the commission before leaving office on May 29, 2015.

The group, which has membership sprawling over 200, besieged the Delta State House of Assembly calling for a halt to the bill, also indicted Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Peter Onwusanya, saying he connived with the Governor to borrow N40bn bond which was allegedly approved by the Speaker on behalf of members.

But Governor Uduaghan, speaking through his Communications Manager, Paul Odili, said the allegations were false and mischievous, just as he described the group as a group with ulterior motive to tarnish Uduaghan’s parting image in the state.

Odili, who spoke to 247Ureports on phone, said “people are just heaping all kinds of allegations against the person of the Governor”, adding “how can the governor take such huge amount of money? It is cheap blackmail because the governor has the interest of Deltans at heart and he cannot do that. That allegation is ridiculous and from an ignorant mind”.

On the issue of a bill which was purportedly aimed at hastily scrapping the commission as a way of cover up, Odili said the Governor never sent a bill to the State House of Assembly to scrap DESOPADEC, but the bill the governor sent was to reform the commission.

Odili, who failed to disclose the nature of the reformation and why the reformation is being done at the closing hour of Uduaghan’s administration, said it was only Delta State that set up a commission as such among all the 36 states in the nation.

“Let them present issues, it is complete ignorance of them to say that. It’s because of my respect for 247Ureports that I’m responding, if not I don’t answer such issues. Both allegations are untrue. The bill is to reform DESOPADEC. There is no plan to scrap the commission. The bill never read scrap but reform the place”, Odili explained.

He said the outgoing Governor’s intention is to reform the commission so that it will benefit Deltans more than ever before, saying “some persons deliberately hate the governor for no just cause, not many people want change. They are just trying to create confusion for the governor and the state”.

He added that it would be on record that the governor attempted reforming the commission but a group of disgruntled elements fought against the good move of the governor.

Hey there! Exciting news - we've deactivated our website's comment provider to focus on more interactive channels! Join the conversation on our stories through Facebook, Twitter, and other social media pages, and let's chat, share, and connect in the best way possible!

Join our social media

For even more exclusive content!

spot_imgspot_imgspot_img

Of The Week
CARTOON

TOP STORIES

- Advertisement -

Of The Week
CARTOON

247Ureports Protects its' news articles from plagiarism as an important part of maintaining the integrity of our website.