Contractors Entice NDDC Board Nominees *Lobby Governors, Ijaw Leaders *Uncertainty Over Screening By Senate
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Some of the nominees for appointment as members of the board of the NDDC are now being enticed in some ways, by people suspected to be top contractors with the commission. Some of the contractors are now pushing for a quick inauguration of the new board.
But the nominees are yet to be screened by the senate. Some of the contractors are said to be pushing for their screening, to pave the way for their eventual inauguration. A certain rich contractor is said to have been picking the bills of some of the nominees.
Some of the nominees were said to have been accommodated at some of the most expensive and luxurious hotels in Abuja, at the expense of the contractor who also provided other logistics for a few of them, apparently in anticipation of juicy jobs if the board eventually comes on board.
TNN learnt that some of the nominees are now enjoying luxurious lifestyles, courtesy of the contractors, one of who was said to have taken one of the nominees to meet a sitting governor in the south-east recently.
It was learnt that part of their mission to the governor was to get him to also mount pressure on the senate, through other government officials, to screen the nominees who have been hoping against hope, for their screening.
The contractors are also believed to be mobilising support in various forms as they approach some Niger Delta leaders to intervene in making sure that the screening takes place. But TNN learnt that there is much more to the screening than meets the eye.
TNN had reported penultimate week that the list of nominees sent to the senate had been returned. We had also reported that some of the nominees were yet to be cleared by certain agencies of the federal government who profiled them ahead of their screening.
The contractors are said to be battling seriously make the screening possible. Last week, it had been speculated that the nominees were going to be screened by the senate committee but it never happened afterall.
TNN learnt that there were pending issues responsible for the delay in the screening of the nominees. The contractors, it was gathered, are fighting hard to get this done. A source that has a deep knowledge of what has been going on told TNN that there were doubts as to when the nominees would be screened.
Some weeks ago, TNN had reported that the new NDDC board may not come on board this year. Unfolding events are now pointing to that reality.
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