The Conference of Professionals in the Peoples Democratic Party (CP-PDP) has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) over the N39 billion claimed to have been spent in the renovation of the already functioning International Conference Centre (ICC).
The CP-PDP, which described the contract as a rip-off, demands the contract details and also pointed out that renaming the complex after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not stop the probe.
The CP-PDP said that the decision to petition the EFCC is part of the outcome of their emergency Governance Policy and Monitoring Review Roundtable in Abuja on Sunday.
The PDP group, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Barr. Obinna Nwachukwu, said, “after a thorough review by our body of engineers, architects, quantity and quality control experts, the CP-PDP declares the N39 billion renovation contract has questionable and apparent case of Advanced Treasury Swindle (ATS).
“As professionals, we finds the attempts by the Minister to defend such humongous sum for the renovation project as extremely disturbing.”
The group said it is appalled that in the face of wide-spread queries by Nigerians, given the overwhelming comparative global indicators of contract overprice, the Minister had no answers but recoursing to diversionary dismissive denunciations of critics as not having “good taste.”
It added that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom must come clean to Nigerians by providing the details of the contract including the official invitation to Tender, bids by contractors, the Bill of Quantities, the scope of job and the due process certification documents warranting the N39 billion claimed to have been spent for the renovation of the edifice.
The PDP group warned that the failure to provide these details tends to validate the wide-spread allegations of treasury looting, opaque award and inflation of contracts and non-compliance with public spending.
“It is completely unacceptable that FCT that is plagued by disturbing moribund health and education infrastructure, and where security of lives and property has become a major issue, the FCT authorities are sweating to justify
claims of renovating a conference centre with a colossal N39 billion?
“Perhaps for FCT officials, good taste refers to approval of sleaze, misplacement of priority and loud showboating. For CP-PDP, good taste can only come with transparency, prudence and proper priorities that better serve the interest of the people.
“Moreover, the FCT Minister must know that renaming the International Conference Centr to Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, a decision that has been widely condemned by Nigerians following President Tinubu’s abysmal failure in office, does not confer immunity and will not deter the demand for investigation into the alleged rip-off,” CP-PDP said.
