Former Minister for Niger Delta
Affairs Elder Godsday Orubebe has denied diverting funds for the East West Road
dualisation project.
The ex-minister spoke yesterday in
Abuja was reacting to reports that the Independent Corrupt Practices and other
Related Offences Commission (ICPC) brought charges against him in relation to
the project.
The ICPC, in the five-count charge
filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), accused
Orubebe, Oludare Lawrence Alaba, Ephraim Towelde Zaki and Gitto Construction,
of allegedly diverting about N2 billion meant for the dualisation of Section IV
of the East-West Road.
Orubebe, who said he was yet to be
served, said payment for the project were made by his predecessor, Ufot Ekaette,
who incidentally is from Eket, where the project was to be executed.
The ex-minister said he was
interrogated on the issue last year by the ICPC, and that when he clarified
issues, officials of the commission told him he had no case to answer.
“Chief Ekaete was the minister for
Niger Delta Affairs when the East-West Road dualisation project started.
‘’The road was initially meant to
pass through the community somewhere around Eket, but Ekaete expressed his
preference for the by-pass to pass behind the community to aid development and
expansion of the community.
“The N1.9 billion, which they said
Orubebe diverted, was paid under Ekaete as minister of Niger Delta. I did not
make any payment”, he said.
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