The Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has accused Governor Sheriff Oborevweri of over-inflating three flyovers contracts, with about N50 billion.
The party accused Oborevweri of over-inflating the cost of the project, said to be estimated at N78 billion to the tune of N50 billion and expressed doubt that the project will be completed in the next eight years.
The state Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr Valentine Onojeghuo, told South-South PUNCH that the governor has arranged a variation of the cost of the project to jack it to N125 billion.
He said, “A few weeks ago, a group, Delta Contractors Forum, raised a red flag when it alerted that the N78 billion flyover project was a total fraud, insisting contrary to the claim by the state government that the construction company was mobilized with N19 billion – which is about 25 per cent of the contract sum, the governor actually fully mobilized Julius Berger with the total cost of N78 billion.
“The Delta Contractors’ Forum further alleged that the governor connived with the construction company to get a kickback of N50 billion, while the governor has arranged a variation of the cost of the project to jack it up to N125 billion.
“With the groundbreaking of the project last Monday, the Delta State APC raised a confirmation alarm that, indeed, the multi-billion naira flyover project was not only a ruse, but a conduit pipe to fleece Deltans of over N78 billion.
“How can Delta State, with so much resources be talking about three flyovers at this point of its existence, when state like Rivers, under its former Governor Nyesome Wike constructed over nine flyovers for N63 billion before his exit from government?
“Why is Delta State under Sheriff spending N78 billion to construct just only three flyovers?”
The party noted that it was impossible for three flyovers, which are not up to 1,500 metres and the expansion of the NPA-DSC Expressway from Effurun roundabout to cost up to N78 billion.
Onojeghuo also noted that the immediate past governor of Ebonyi State and the incumbent Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, did not spend up to N78 billion on the 18 flyovers he constructed in the state.
He therefore called on Deltans to ask Oborevwori to give account of the total allocations and internally generated revenue, IGR, that have so far accrued to the state coffers in the past five months he has mounted the saddle of administering the state.
But responding to the allegation, the Executive Assistant on Communication and Orientation to the Delta State governor, Mr Latimore Oghenesivbe, described the allegation as baseless and mischievous.
Oghenesivbe challenged the APC to tell the public how it arrived at N50 billion contract padding.
He said, “The allegation was not supported with veritable evidence, and therefore should be discarded.
“The construction of the three flyovers bridges, roads expansion and pedestrians, which was flagged off on Monday by Governor Oborevweri cannot be faulted by any right thinking Deltan or political party that means well for the state.
“This mischievous allegation clearly revealed that APC is anti-progress in Nigeria. First, APC lied by saying that the N78 billion contract sum was paid upfront to Julius Berger Plc.”
Oghenesivbe said that Julius Berger would deployed high technology equipment and engineering expertise to deliver the project within 27 months.