PDP vice chairman in N466m contract scandal

Dipo Laleye, Minna - 29.01.2008

THE judicial commission of inquiry set up by the Niger State government to look into the activities of the last administration in the state has heard that a frontline politician and North Central Zone Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Magaji, was paid N466 million for an electrification job he did not execute.

The general manager of the state Rural Electricity Board, Alhaji Yamman Usman, also told the commission that despite the non-performance of the contractor, he was forced to approve a variation for the contract.

Testifying before the commission, Alhaji Yamman said that the contract for the electrification of 12 towns and villages in Zone B of the state was awarded in 2002, but that the contract was only mobilised to site in 2006 making only 15 per cent of the job to be done.

The general manager said he approved the variation because he was told that if he did not do so, he would lose his job. Answerng a question from a member of the commission, Alhaji Yamman said the threat to his job was real and not a speculation, adding that to protect his job he had to approve the variation.

The Assistant General Manager of the board, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Evuti, who also testified before the commission, could only show the panel one supervision report for the job awarded in 2002 because the contractor was only mobilised to site in 2006.